


Last Night

by QuantumChickpea



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged Up, Drinking, F/M, Hung Over, Internship, LadyNoir - Freeform, Marinette x Adrien - Freeform, Mystery, Post Reveal, Sex, adrienette - Freeform, drunk, fashion - Freeform, kagami x luka, ladybug x chat noir - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-30
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-06-18 22:07:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 21,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15495705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuantumChickpea/pseuds/QuantumChickpea
Summary: Adrien woke up with a pounding headache. After checking his surroundings... he is only sure of three things: he was in his apartment, he wasn't dressed, and he was between Kagami and Marinette.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I woke up with Katy Perry's song, Last Friday Night in my head for some odd reason and this story began to write itself.

Adrien groaned and held his head as, he sat up from the bed. The room spun around him and his head throbbed. He hissed as, he touched a tender spot on his neck. Nino’s party had been one of the best parties in the city last night. Great drinks, great music, and great company.

When Adrien’s vision focused and he checked out his surroundings... he was sure of only three things. He was in his apartment, he wasn’t dressed, and he was between Kagami and Marinette, who weren’t wearing much of anything.

He began to panic whether he had slept with both, or one, or what had happened. He couldn’t remember and it bothered him to no end.

A notification sound rang out through his bedroom and his phone lit up, breaking him from his jumbled thoughts. He reached over and grabbed his phone from the short black nightstand. Adrien rubbed his eyes and looked at the text.

**Gabriel: Check the top story on the news. RIGHT NOW.**

Adrien groaned and clicked the link that his father had sent over in a separate text. An article in bold print popped up on the screen with a photo of him licking a shot from Marinette’s stomach. His emerald eyes widened, as he fully woke up.

**Son of the Most Influential Fashion Brand Found at the Biggest Party in Paris**

The more he read into the article… the more he found words describing him as drunk, arrogant, and a playboy. He wasn’t any of those things. He groaned and bent down to pick up his black ‘Gabriel’ boxer briefs from the ground. He slipped them on; before, he got up from the bed and winced, making his way over to his mini bar for a cold water bottle. He cracked one open and leaned onto the bar, with the heels of his palms, staring at the two girls in his bed.

“Shit.” He ran a hand through his hair and slammed back more water, hoping one of them would wake up soon, so he could ask what had happened.

He heard Marinette first by the sound of her squeak and the comforter rustling around her. Which both of those sounds made him realize that she probably didn’t know much either. He internally groaned and hoped he was wrong. He watched her through his messy bangs with intense green eyes.

Marinette blushed as she took him in across the room from her at the bar. “Morning.” His deep voice rang out and filled her ears.

“M-morning.” Marinette frantically looked around the bed for her dress and panties.

Adrien took another swig of water and pointed to a pair of pink lace panties on the floor. He assumed those were hers because he couldn’t see Kagami wearing them.

“M-merci.” Marinette climbed over the other girl to grab her panties from the ground, along with her hot pink dress. She slid them all on beneath the blue-grey covers and got out of Adrien’s california king sized bed.

He had turned away from her to grab another bottle of cold water from the glass mini fridge that was behind the bar. Adrien passed her it when she walked over. Her cheeks flamed when she noticed he wasn’t wearing much. She nearly tripped and he groaned at the pounding in his head when he caught her.

“Do you know what happened last night?” Adrien searched her widened blue bell eyes with his own.

“Um… I-” Marinette got lost in his forest green eyes and couldn’t think properly. Her head was spinning and throbbing. Her thoughts jumbled together and she tried to remember what had happened.

“Do you at least remember this?” Adrien picked his phone back up from the bar and flipped through till he found the photo of them at Nino’s party.

Marinette’s hands covered her mouth and she squeaked. She shook her head and felt like her knees were going to collapse.

“Good to know that neither of us do.” Adrien rolled his eyes, slammed back more water, and set his phone back onto the bar top.

Both of them looked over to hear the other girl get up with less shame. She stood up and Marinette looked away from the girl sliding on her black thong and tight fitted red mini dress. She walked over to them and took a drink from the bar, instead of the water that Adrien had held out to her.

“Hey.” Kagami smiled at them and took a swig from the bottle of liquor.

“What happened last night?” Adrien watched the girl pour a shot and toss it back.

“Well you two…” She gestured to both of them with her index finger, while she held the shot glass. “Got real… close.”

“What? What happened? What did I do? What did we do?” Marinette’s questions burst out from her and she couldn’t stop creating new ones.

Adrien reached over and placed his finger over Marinette’s lips to get her to stop. “What do you mean we got real close?”

Kagami rolled her eyes, set the glass down, and walked over to get her phone. “You two…” She pointed at them. “Got severely wasted.”

Adrien groaned and leaned onto his elbows and Marinette felt like she wanted to cry. He knew that by the way his head felt like it was in a vice, being tightened by satan himself. “So, where do you come into all of this shit?”

Kagami smirked and opened up the top video website in the world and found the video of them from last night that someone had posted. She set her phone down in front of them and took the liquor bottle and shot glass over to Adrien’s massive bed.

“Goddamnit.” Adrien cursed as, he watched a video of himself dancing with Marinette. His hands were all over her and they were locked in an intimate kiss that would put most couples to shame.

“Oh God. I’m so sorry, Adrien. I- I didn’t know. I-” Marinette felt her face set on fire with shame and embarrassment.

The camera moved and followed them over to the bar where Marinette had jumped up onto it and laid down. Adrien had slid her dress up her body, exposing her panties. Marinette screamed out with glee as, he had taken a bottle of tequila from the bartender to pour into her belly button. He had put a lime in between his lips and crawled up and over her body to place it between her teeth, before he slid back down. He had kissed along her hip bone and trailed soft kisses up to where the liquor pooled.

They watched him curl his tongue and take the shot from her stomach and Marinette had let out a soft moan and had rolled her hips. Adrien had then licked up a trail of himalayan rock salt, to her neck, and grabbed the lime from between her teeth with his own mouth, giving her a smoldering wink.

Marinette was mortified and she wanted to crawl into a hole and bury herself for a century or longer.

“Who took this video?” Adrien glared over at Kagami with an irritated aura about him.

“Who do you think?” Kagami shrugged her shoulders.

“I’m gonna kill Alya.” Marinette burst out as, she stomped off to call her best friend.

Adrien waited for Marinette to leave the room, before he walked over to sit beside Kagami. “Again, how do you fit into this whole ordeal?”

“My boyfriend and I drove you two home. Well, here, after you begged me to bring you both back to your place.” Kagami shrugged and leaned back on her palms.

“AND YOU LISTENED TO MY DRUNK ASS?” Adrien gave her a look that could kill and send anyone into hiding.

“I mean… there was really no arguing with you.” Kagami smirked at him.

“I’m going to assume something went down between all three of us last night.” Adrien groaned and gripped his messy hair in his hands.

Kagami chuckled and shook her head. “No, not exactly.”

Adrien peered over at her with his hand still in his hair, as he looked at her with glowing green eyes, hunched over his thighs. “What?”

“Not exactly. You had heard me fighting with my boyfriend, kicked him out, and carried me to your bed. My dress was trashed and so you helped me out of it. Marinette was already passed out beneath the blankets, after I would assume you fucked her to sleep. But I could be off on that one. As to why my panties were on your floor... I think your girl should tell you that one. I wasn’t all there either, but I hold my liquor better than the two of you.” She gestured at him with the shot glass and a short laugh.

Marinette walked back in with a blank expression. She didn’t know what to say to either of them. “I might know how they ended up on the floor.” She worried her bottom lip and clenched her phone in her hand.

Adrien ran his hand down his face and peered up at her with wide eyes. “What?”

“I tend to get a little love drunk. Um…” Marinette blushed and rubbed her upper arm with her toes turned towards each other. “I may have taken them off her without thinking.”

Adrien felt his cheeks grow hot. “Then something did go down between us last night.”

“No, at least, I don’t think so.” Marinette rung her fingers together.

“I already said nothing happened between all three of us. What more proof do you need, golden boy?” Kagami rolled her eyes and stood up. “And nothing happened between me and Marinette. You stopped love drunk, here, before she had the chance.”

Adrien flashed a look over at Marinette with parted lips. He was horrified at his actions and this was all too much to take in.

“You, Adrien Agreste, are one jealous drunk.” Kagami chuckled and walked over to the bar to put the drink back. “Well, I’ll be on my way. Good luck figuring out the rest. I can’t help with anything else that went down. I was only there at the end.”

Adrien watched her leave the two of them in shock. Marinette sharply turned her face in Adrien’s direction, took in his expression, and her cheeks flushed a deeper rose. “Jealous?”

He let out another groan. He hadn’t wanted her to find out this way. Adrien had hoped to take her out to a nice restaurant with roses. Maybe a private performance on a terrace overlooking the Eiffel Tower. Anything, but this. Anywhere, but where they were at. He worried his bottom lip and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m not usually a jealous drunk. Um.” He cringed at the thought and pressed his lips together in a thin line, as his heart throbbed against his ribcage. “Can- can we not talk about this right now?”

Marinette searched his clenched tooth smile and how he looked off to the side. She leaned into him with an accusing expression. “You’re hiding something.”

He leaned away from her and cringed at her determined expression. “I- I don’t want you to find out this way.”

Marinette sighed and fell back onto his bed. “What did we get ourselves into?” She laughed and looked over at him with glowing blue eyes. “Two of Paris’s best heroes got drunk and caught on film together… practically having sex on a bar.”

Adrien burst out laughing and laid back beside her, as his laughter shook the bed. He slowly turned his head to look into her eyes and he sighed. They searched each other’s eyes and he slowly reached over to move a strand of her dark hair from her face. Marinette slowly closed the space between them and her lips pressed against his. He slowly parted his lips and she followed his lead. He dipped his tongue between her soft lips and she ran hers along his, while her fingertips gripped his muscular bicep. He tasted of liquor and something sweet and she couldn’t get enough of him. His dark scent intoxicated her and filled her senses. Years of holding back from one another melted away and she found herself unable to stop. The realization that she was hungover and so was he combined with the anxiety of finding out what had been in the news snapped her back to reality.

She gasped and pulled away from him with widened doe eyes. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have.” She panicked and sat up with her head in her hands. “I- I must still be drunk.”

Adrien sat up beside her, grabbed her cheeks, and pulled her back in for a hunger filled kiss. She squeaked as he pinned her to the bed and slammed her hands above her head. He trailed kisses down her neck and kissed along her shoulder.

“I- I should go.” Marinette tried to push him off with her legs, but a major part of her wanted this attention. It was like a magnet was pulling them together and she couldn’t get close enough to him.

Her body trembled and betrayed her, as he slowly licked up her neck and nibbled on her ear. He sighed into her ear, as his cock twitched between her thighs. “Do you have to?”

Marinette softly moaned and shifted her legs along his hips, as her body gave in to his touches. “I should… Your father is expecting me in his office.”

“Sure you can’t be persuaded to stay in my bed?” Adrien ran his thumb along her peaked nipple through her dress and she arched her back and bit her bottom lip.

“You know your father owns my future and how he can be.” Marinette looked into his eyes as, he flicked her top lip with his tongue.

Adrien smirked and let her go. He slowly slid off of her. “Alright, go. Dinner, tonight, at the cafe near my father’s company?” He wanted to have a chance to tell her the truth. To properly come clean about what he had been hiding for years. Not that his actions didn’t speak wonders. He rolled his eyes at himself and internally punched himself for what he had done.

Marinette blushed and stood up with shaking legs. She bit her bottom lip and nodded. “Okay.”

She walked out of his bedroom after she had slipped her black heels back on. Marinette grabbed her black clutch and walked out of his apartment with her head down.

When they had found out their secret identities, nothing had really changed between them. It had only brought them closer. She was shocked at first to find out that such a poised man could be her Chaton, but that was about it. The shock had quickly dissipated, leaving two laughing adults. Adrien had never told her how he had felt about her and she hadn’t told him either. Chat didn’t even bother to flirt with Ladybug anymore. Not since he knew who she was beneath the mask. That was the one thing that had bothered her. She felt like once he had found out who she was… he had lost interest in her, while hers had only grown tenfold. But, that sultry kiss and video of last night… hadn’t helped her much with that problem.

Marinette groaned and continued to walk along the sidewalk in last nights’ dress. She was so confused about the whole thing and Alya hadn’t helped her when she had called her earlier, either. Her best friend didn’t remember much either and it was all a blur. She touched her lips with her index finger and smiled at the thought of Adrien’s lips on her skin. Her right ankle gave out and she stumbled, before she corrected herself.

She walked up to her apartment building and greeted the doorman, before heading to the elevator and up to her room. She needed painkillers and a hot shower; before, she could face Gabriel with a confident smile.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Fuck.” Adrien suddenly remembered his father’s text and he sprang up from his bed and hurried to take a quick shower. He quickly tugged on a tight pair of dark designer jeans, a deep v-neck long sleeved maroon shirt, and light tan designer slip on ‘boat’ shoes. The kind that had leather laces for accents around the edges and tied above the toes in a loose bow. He pushed the sleeves up mid forearm and grabbed his keys; before, he left his apartment to his car. He had to make it to his father’s before Marinette could reach the front door.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song that inspired this:
> 
> Last Friday Night by Katy Perry
> 
> His shoe inspiration:
> 
> https://shop.nordstrom.com/s/sperry-gold-cup-authentic-original-boat-shoe-men/3310371?origin=category-personalizedsort&breadcrumb=Home%2FMen%2FShoes&color=blue%2F%20navy%20leather


	2. Chapter 2

Marinette hurried up the stairs to only be yanked back by Adrien. She looked back at him with a confused expression. “Why are you here?” 

The door opened before he could even explain himself and Nathalie appeared with an unpleasant expression. 

“Shit.” Adrien cursed and hung his head low, as his hand slowly slid down Marinette’s arm.

“I believe you mean shoot, Adrien. Your father would like to speak with both of you in his office.” Nathalie stepped out of the way and Adrien put his hands in his pockets and watched the floor, as he walked inside. 

Marinette swallowed hard putting two and two together. His father had seen the article and he had shown up to try to take the fall for her.

She stumbled on the stairs and caught her balance on the doorway. Adrien looked behind him to make sure she was alright. 

“Adrien!” Gabriel’s voice echoed across the walls and Adrien flinched at the sound. 

Marinette’s eyes welled up with tears. Her career was over. Everything was over. Her heart raced and she felt like she couldn’t breathe. The room spun and Adrien caught her before she could hit the tiled floor. “Not the time to faint, Bugaboo.” He whispered into her ear and she stood up straight, using him to stabilize herself. 

“Sorry.” Marinette whispered and cleared her throat. She fixed her hair and picked up what little dignity she had left.

Adrien stepped into his father’s office with Gabriel’s intern beneath his arm. His father’s expression wasn’t one that Adrien had ever wanted to see. Not this early and not for this reason. He was used to it being kept for when he had done something displeasing, but not when it also involved Marinette. He wasn’t letting Marinette take the fall for this. Not when her future depended on it. He pushed Marinette behind him and stared at his father with a protective glare. 

“You think you are going to protect her?” Gabriel raised an eyebrow at his stubborn son. 

“Get mad at me all you want, but don’t involve her. She has nothing to do with this.” Adrien pushed her further behind him, even though she pushed around him to speak. 

“I want to know about this article and why it is calling my son an arrogant playboy drunk? I raised you better than this. Also, explain this photograph on the front page!” Gabriel turned his screen to face them and Adrien cringed, while Marinette blushed. 

“I- I can’t explain that because I don’t remember much.” Adrien tugged on his silver ring and looked away from his father’s gaze, ashamed. 

“Can’t explain this, hm? WHAT ABOUT THIS?” Gabriel’s voice boomed like thunder rumbling inside of menacing clouds in a dimly lit sky. He hit a tab with his finger on the screen and the live video began to play. 

‘YAH, MARINETTE! GET IT, GIRL! WOO!’ The sound of Alya’s voice shrieked from the audio of the device and Marinette wanted to be swallowed into a deep pit that held her hostage and never let her go. 

Adrien flinched as, he heard Marinette moan from his expertly placed kisses. “Can we by chance forget this happened?” 

“You think it is going to be simple to erase this from the Agreste name… from the ‘Gabriel’ brand?” Gabriel was furious and he could feel his face heating up with rage. 

“Can’t we pay off the media or something to take it down?” Adrien tried to reason with the solid stone of a man in front of him, but it wasn’t working out in his favor. 

“Excuse me Monsieur.” Marinette pushed Adrien out of the way and worried her fingers together in front of her hips. 

“And what is your excuse for this, Mademoiselle Dupain Cheng?” Gabriel turned his unamused expression towards his intern. 

“I know the girl that posted the video. If I could just talk to her and have her take it down… wouldn’t that help?” Marinette chewed on her bottom lip, trying to keep her anxiety in check. 

“You know the girl that recorded this atrocious video?” Gabriel raised an eyebrow and rethought about who he had let intern with his brand. 

“I do, sir.” Marinette normally wouldn’t be ashamed to be friends with Alya, but at this moment she was. She loved her best friend to death, but right now, she wasn’t too happy with her. 

“Well, if you can get her to take the video down… then we just have to worry about the press, but seeing as how the article is already out for the general public and on the front page… I don’t see a reason to pay them to take it down when the whole city has caught wind of it already.” Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose and let a wave of exhaustion wash over him. “It’s being broadcasted on every channel in Paris, maybe further.”

“What do you want me to do, father?” Adrien gave in with a sigh and let his shoulders slump. He didn’t like when his father was upset with him or didn’t approve of his behavior. He had always lived to make his father happy. 

Gabriel thought for a moment. He pressed a button on his screen and Nathalie came into the room. 

“Yes, Monsieur?” Nathalie held her tablet to her chest. 

“Pull up the current status on Adrien. Where does he sit within ‘Forbes’.” Gabriel stood up straight and waited for Nathalie to tell him. 

Marinette looked over at Adrien with a confused expression and he slapped his forehead and shook his head, begging for her not to ask. 

“The number one most eligible bachelor, Monsieur.” Nathalie’s voice came out in a monotone and Adrien groaned. 

Marinette could only think of one reason that Gabriel would have asked that and her heart became extraordinarily loud in her ears, drowning out anything that Adrien was saying. 

“You can’t be serious.” Adrien walked towards his father leaving a very dazed Marinette leaning against a wall. 

“You are going to prove that you are not a playboy or whatever else they called you by going public with this scandal.” Gabriel pointed at Adrien with his index finger and a serious expression; before, he turned to look at a disheveled Marinette. “Mademoiselle Dupain Cheng?” 

Marinette suddenly came to and straightened up. She cleared her throat and walked up beside a worried Adrien. She had barely paid attention to the conversation between the two men, lost in her own little world. “Yes, Monsieur?” 

Gabriel smiled at her with a condescending expression. “Will you date my son for media purposes?” He searched her blue bell eyes and watched her become uncomfortable. 

Marinette wanted to cry and not from pure happiness. She loved Adrien, but she didn’t want to date him for status. She wanted to date him because he truly loved her, as much as, she loved him. Marinette wanted it to be mutual. When she looked over at Adrien, she saw his saddened expression. She could tell that it hurt him to see her get used by the top fashion mogul in all of Paris and the industry. This wasn’t how he had wanted for it to go either. He was sure that she now thought that he only was using her for his own gain and that was not the case. 

“I- I’ll do it. If it helps the Agreste name and the ‘Gabriel’ brand.” She tangled her fingers together and looked down at her feet. “It is my fault after all. It was very irresponsible of me, Monsieur. I promise to help you out of this bind.” She weakly smiled up at Adrien, while her heart broke. She should have known that he didn’t love her since he found out she was the one under the mask. 

Adrien spun his ring around his finger again. He felt like he was digging himself a deeper hole and the more that was set up by his father… the more he realized he’d have to disclose at dinner for the poor girl beside him. “How do you suppose that we get the word out?” 

“Go on a very public date. I’ll set one up for you at the Louvre for tomorrow afternoon. Then a lovely dinner will follow. Sound good? I’ll let Nathalie know so that she can rework your schedule.” Gabriel waved them away and Adrien took Marinette’s hand and lead her out of the office. “And Mademoiselle Dupain Cheng?” 

Marinette turned to look at her boss. “Yes, Monsieur Agreste?” 

“I want you to take the day off. Adrien! Go buy that girl a new wardrobe. I won’t have her looking subpar beside you. Your bodyguard will drive you to the top brands I like.” Gabriel dismissed them after Adrien had responded with a ‘yes, father.’. 

Adrien sighed and continued to lead Marinette into the grand foyer, as the heavy doors shut behind them. He walked with her to the front doors to only be met by his bodyguard/driver.

“I’m really sorry that I got you into this, Marinette.” He opened the back door of the silver car for her. 

“It’s really okay, Adrien. It’s my fault too. I should have known it would end up all over the media.” Marinette sighed and sat in the back of the car. “I should have known better.”

Adrien climbed in after and shut the door. “It’s not your fault. You don’t deserve to be drug into this. I should just come out with a statement and accept my fate.” He ran his hand through his hair. 

“But what did happen last night? I remember going to Nino’s party with Alya. I remember dancing and drinking. Not with you, but with my friends. And then it’s all a blur.” Marinette touched her cheeks with her hands, as she internally panicked about this whole ordeal. 

“What am I then? If you danced and drank with your friends and not me?” Adrien raised an eyebrow at her and looked at her from the side. He didn’t know how to take that. Was he not a friend? Was he more? What was he to her? 

Marinette squeaked and brought her lips into a straight line. Her cheeks burned and turned a deep rose. “Um… y-you’re my friend too. I was just saying that I don’t remember dancing with you, but I do remember being with Alya, Rose, Juleka, Alix, and Mylene. Um…” 

Adrien burst out laughing. Marinette jumped at his sudden outburst and watched him lean into her. Everything slowed down and felt like time was holding still as, his soft fingers grazed beneath her chin. She watched how his blonde hair slightly shifted as, he brought his lips to hers in a chaste kiss. The kiss quickly intensified and she was suddenly in his lap with his fingers tangled in her hair and his tongue in her mouth. She moaned and forgot about anyone else in the car with them. To her it was only them. 

Adrien broke the kiss and searched her shocked blue eyes. “Sorry, I don’t know what came over me.” His cheeks flushed and he rubbed the back of his neck, awkwardly. 

She climbed off of his lap. “I- it’s probably just all of the adrenaline and the situation we’re in. Just rushed emotions. Ya know?” She awkwardly giggled and sighed, as she peered out the window. He mirrored her with saddened eyes and slouched shoulders. 

“Yeah, yeah. Tha- that’s probably it.” Adrien knew that wasn’t the case. He had enough love to fill all of Paris for the woman beside him, but he was too nervous to tell her. Too nervous that she’d turn him down like she used to when he was just Chat Noir and not Adrien Agreste. The more he thought about it… the more he wanted to back out of dinner. He needed some time alone to recuperate and get his priorities straight and his thoughts, which were a wreck at the moment. Also, he thought being around her wasn't doing much good for her either. He was bad for her and he knew it. 

The city passed by them and they both couldn’t help but notice all of the happy couples on the street: holding hands, laughing, sharing drinks and food, and taking in the sights of the beautiful city. 

They both slowly turned to peer into each other’s eyes; before, they both blushed and quickly turned away from one another back to their respective windows. A sigh slowly came out of both of them and Gorilla looked back at the two young adults in his rear view mirror.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs I wrote to in order:
> 
> Mad Hatter by Melanie Martinez
> 
> Dollhouse by Melanie Martinez
> 
> Into You by Ariana Grande
> 
> Everyday by Ariana Grande


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all of the amazing comments on this story and the kudos. I am having a ton of fun writing this thing. ^-^ I'm glad you are all enjoying it so far.

Adrien ran his hand along the racks of clothing at the first designer store that they had stopped at. Gorilla had parked the car, while the two of them had gone inside to shop through all of the pieces. It hadn’t taken Marinette long to get excited about the various different materials. 

“What about this one?” Marinette held a red a-line dress up to herself and all he saw was Ladybug. 

“Ladybug…” Adrien sighed her name and zoned out for a moment. It had been so much easier when it was just Ladybug and Chat Noir and not a combination of the four of them. 

Marinette caught her hero name on his lips and she bit her bottom lip. Everything seemed to be moving so fast after years of moving slow paced. “Adrien?” She softly spoke and tried to keep the tears from falling from her eyes. 

He noticed how her lip was turning red beneath her teeth and how her eyes seemed to shine more under the light. He quickly grabbed a few items from a rack and whisked her off to a dressing room. He shut the velvet curtain and hung the items of clothing up onto a hook. 

Marinette peered up at him with a confused expression, but all he did was wrap his arms around her. She suddenly clutched at the back of his shirt and let the tears fall. He ran his fingers through her dark hair and just held her. “I’m sorry, this is so stupid. I don’t know what’s wrong with me or why I’m so upset. I- I don’t understand what’s happening or what I’m feeling. I-” 

“It’s okay. It’s a lot to take in like you said. You went from having the best time in your life, to waking up in my bed, to seeing some of what happened on the news, and now you’re being forced to date me by my father.” Adrien sighed and tried to not let it get to him either. Someone had to be strong during this whole disaster. 

Marinette wanted to agree with him that it was because of everything that had happened in less than twenty four hours, but it was mostly due to him thinking about Ladybug and not her. Not Marinette. She rubbed her face into his shirt and he felt her tremble against him. She wanted him to say Marinette in the tone that he had just said Ladybug. 

“How about if we ditch my bodyguard and head out for some lunch? On me.” Adrien spoke against her hair and she sniffed. She didn’t know if that would make her feel worse or better. She didn’t know if anything would make her feel better at the moment. She honestly just wanted to go home and crawl underneath the blankets and forget this ever happened. 

“Can you take me home, please?” Marinette’s voice shook and sounded weaker than he had ever heard it. Adrien’s heart burst and ached for the woman in his arms. He hadn’t wanted for her to get hurt and for some reason he felt like this was all his fault. 

“Okay. I’ll pick out some clothes here and send a text over to my father about how you were able to find everything you needed at this shop.” Adrien pulled the clothing from the hook and took her hand; before, leading her out of the dressing room. 

Marinette hid in her hair, as they walked through the shop. She nodded to give her opinion on each ensemble he selected for her and before long, they had enough clothing ensembles to appease Gabriel. 

“Alright, now I just have to pay and… send photos off to my father.” Adrien sighed and handed his metal credit card over to the cashier. They slid it and he gathered the bags in one hand, while he placed her arm into the crook of his elbow. He lead her out of the shop and into the car. “We were able to find everything she needed there. Head to Mademoiselle Dupain Cheng’s apartment, please.” Adrien politely ordered Gorilla to drive her home.   
He sent texts of the pieces to his father and smiled at the approving reply. “He seems to be happy about the items you chose.” Adrien excitedly spoke to Marinette with a bright grin. It quickly faded as he took the sad woman in. 

She was leaning on her palm with her elbow on the car door. Her vacant stare worried him, as she peered out of the window at the city passing by them. Adrien noticed how she had her bottom lip between her teeth and seemed to be causing it to become raw with each passing of her teeth. Her fingers were busy shifting the fabric of her black pencil skirt; while, her shoulders were drawn into herself. 

He didn’t like seeing her that way. It was off putting and not like Marinette or Ladybug. It was the shell of a human being. One that had been let down and put through a machine till they couldn’t go on anymore. 

“Say something. Please.” Adrien touched her chin and made her eyes meet his and it was startling. The way the bright blues had faded into stormy grey tones. His heart sank at the sight of her. 

“I wish I was the woman that you wanted.” Marinette let the tears fall that had been previously burning her eyes. 

Adrien sat perfectly still and silent. He parted his lips to speak, but she had caught him off guard with her words. The sentences lost their structure and tangled together in his throat and his stomach turned. He knew he should say something, anything to reassure her about how he loved her and had always loved her. 

The car stopped in front of her apartment and she shivered and reached for the handle. Adrien almost reached over to lock her door to keep her from leaving. He was so close, so close to keeping her with him and taking her back to his apartment. His eyes grew wide as, he realized he had in fact reached out and locked the door. Marinette looked up at him with widened eyes that were filled with tears. She hadn’t expected him to lock her door. 

He quickly unlocked it and rubbed the back of his neck. “Um, I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Promise me you’ll be okay?” 

Marinette nodded and got out of the car. She smiled for him, but he knew it was forced. She shut the door with a small thank you from her lips; before, she headed for the front door to her apartment, greeting the doorman as usual. 

Adrien sat back against the seat with a groan and immediately dialed a number on his phone. “Hey, Alya. I need you to go check up on Marinette. It’d be great if you could stay with her for the night too. Yeah, she’s… she’s alright. I just don’t think she should be alone right now.” Adrien hung up his phone and scanned through his contacts for Nino’s number. 

He needed to unwind and Nino was the perfect person to ask. Nino might also know what had happened at the party and he really wanted to know more about the whole situation. The more he knew the better off Marinette was. 

Nino answered on the second ring, which surprised Adrien. It usually took a few rings for him to pick up. Adrien leaned back in his seat and adjusted his hips to be more comfortable. 

“Hey, man. I’m on my way back to my father’s and then I’ll be heading out. Um… I was wondering if I could come by. If it’s not too much trouble. I know you got Alya and everything.” Adrien rubbed the back of his neck and leaned his elbow on the door, while he peered out the window, as they pulled up to the mansion. 

“Yeah, yeah. Come on over. You know you’re always welcome.” Nino looked over at Alya. She was busy getting ready to head over to Marinette’s place. 

“See you in ten.” Adrien hung up his phone and told Gorilla that he was going to head out. “Tell my father that I’ll talk to him tomorrow.” 

Gorilla went to protest, but gave up. He was used to Adrien escaping with one excuse or another and there really wasn’t anything he could do about it. He knew he would pay for it later, but there really wasn’t another option. 

Adrien shut the car door and hopped into his own car. He started the car and shifted, taking off towards Nino’s studio apartment.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Alya greeted the doorman at Marinette’s apartment with a warm smile. Her arms were full of bags from the _Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie_. She had gotten all of Marinette’s favorites. She didn’t know why Adrien had asked her to head over to check up on her, but it wasn’t typical for him and that worried her. 

She knew that the party had gotten a bit out of hand, but she didn’t know how much until she had seen the video that she had taken. When Marinette had called her about it… she had immediately took it down from the site, but it hadn’t taken long for others to capture the footage and place it onto other sites as well, making it impossible for her to fully erase it. 

Alya knocked on Marinette’s door. The door slowly opened and it took Alya less than a second to understand why Adrien had asked her to come over. “Oh girl…” She watched Marinette crumble at her words. 

“It’s bad. Everything is going downhill and I don’t know how to fix it all. There’s no lucky charm for a broken heart, Alya.” Marinette sobbed and slumped onto her couch in her Chat Noir themed pajamas. Her pants were black with small neon green paw prints and she wore a neon green tank top with a long sleeved black hoodie with cat ears on the hood. Neon green piping ran around the edges of the zipper and ears. She put the hood over her head and pulled her knees to her chest. 

Alya was shocked to see she owned something like that. “Did you make that?” 

Marinette nodded and Alya sighed, as she closed the door to Marinette’s apartment. She set the bags down onto the coffee table and fell onto the couch beside her distraught best friend. She was still surprised that her friend would own something that was themed around a guy that she couldn’t stand in high school. She had often complained to Alya about their random encounters during akuma fights. “What happened?” 

Marinette took a deep breath and Alya passed her a pink macaron. She held it in her hand and looked down at it. “I don’t remember what happened at Nino’s party past dancing and drinking with you guys. I woke up this morning in Adrien’s bed, naked with kagami beside me. And then-” 

“Wait! Kagami was there?” Alya’s eyes went wide at the thought of Adrien with two women in his bed. 

Marinette nodded with a blush and Alya felt her head begin to spin. “With you? In Adrien’s bed… where was Adrien?” 

“Standing at his mini bar staring at the bed. He didn’t look too happy.” Marinette hid further into the hood of her jacket. 

“Wait, so you don’t remember what happened after we danced and drank. Then you wake up in Adrien Agreste’s bed? We are talking Adrien Agreste? Like the guy you’ve been crushing on for years?” Alya was in shock for some reason. It shouldn’t surprise her, but the fact that Marinette had still not told him how she felt… made being in his bed a bit surprising. 

“Yes.” Marinette squeaked and wanted to be swallowed into the couch. “Then we saw the article online with the photo… and then your video… Neither of us know what happened.” She gripped her hair in her hands and yanked the hood down further. 

“Marinette… what photo?” Alya searched her eyes, while Marinette hid in the hood of her jacket. 

Marinette groaned and picked up her phone from the arm of the couch. She searched for the article and set it down for Alya to see it. Alya’s hand went to her mouth and her eyes widened at the photo. “Girl, I do not remember that being taken.” She passed her phone back to her and Marinette wanted to cry harder. 

“Were you able to take the video down?” Marinette stared at her best friend with all of the hope of the world in her blue eyes. 

Alya cringed and wrung her hands together. “Well… I was able to take my upload down, but… others had already captured it and uploaded it onto other platforms. So… now I can’t take it down.” She waited for the storm to hit, but it never did. 

“Gabriel Agreste found out…” Marinette mumbled and nibbled on the macaron. 

Alya shot her a look of concern. “Shit. What’d he do?”

“He’s making Adrien and I date to prove that he’s not an arrogant drunk playboy.” Marinette rolled her eyes and Alya could feel the tension radiating from her. 

“That’s good though, right? You’re dating. Isn’t that what you wanted?” Alya tried to look at the bright side in the whole situation, but it didn’t make Marinette feel better. 

“He saw a red dress that I was holding up to myself and Ladybug came from his lips like she was his world. Not Marinette.” Marinette sniffed and felt her heart drop at the thought. “I asked him to take me home.” 

“And you think that man doesn’t love you?” Alya raised an eyebrow at Marinette. She had heard enough from Nino to know that that boy was still hooked on her.

Marinette shook her head. “I said, I wish I was the woman you wanted and he didn’t say anything. He just froze up and for some odd reason reached over and locked my car door, while I was trying to get out.” She sighed and her heart felt hollow and like it was shattering. “Then he tried to play it off like he hadn’t done it.” 

Alya burst out laughing at the two of them. “He tried to lock you in the car with him? And you’re seeing that as a man that doesn’t have feelings for you? Because he said Ladybug with too much affection.” She calmed down and looked at her best friend with a warm smile. “Marinette. You need to rethink everything he’s done so far and then let me know how he feels.” 

“He also keeps leaning into me and then for some reason we kiss and it feels like I can’t get close enough to him. But it has to be all of the crazy emotions and stress put on us in the last twenty four hours, right? It can’t be because he still has feelings for me. Well, you know what I mean.” Marinette searched Alya’s soft eyes with wild blue ones. 

Alya shook her head and giggled. She took her glasses off and cleaned them with her shirt. “You need to rethink all that shit you just told me and then talk to me, M. Or better yet… ask the man that asked me to come here in the first place.” 

Marinette thought for a moment, before her eyes got wide. “I’ll be back. Don’t wait up for me.” She ran off to the bathroom. Alya replaced her glasses onto her face, picked up a croissant, and laughed harder at the whole situation. 

Marinette had told Alya that she was Ladybug, as long as, she had promised to not tell anyone or her blog. Alya had easily agreed to not break that promise. She was thrilled that Marinette had been Ladybug this whole time, but if she was honest… she was worried every time her best friend fought an akuma. 

The familiar sound of ‘spots on’ didn’t even phase Alya. She sighed into the couch and texted Adrien. “Your girl’s headed to your secret spot.” 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Adrien sat at the bar with Nino and pulled his vibrating phone from his pocket to see Alya’s text. “I got to go, Nino. I’ll come over to play that new fighting game with you. I need to talk to someone anyway.” 

Nino nodded and waved him off, as Adrien ran out of the bar and into an alleyway to transform. 

He was confused as to what had happened to make Marinette transform. He feared it was an akuma and he knew he had to be there for his lady no matter what. So with adrenaline filled veins mixed with vodka shots… he became her protector and leapt across Paris towards the Eiffel Tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song I Wrote to:
> 
> Thinking About You by Ariana Grande


	4. Chapter 4

Ladybug sat on the Eiffel Tower and stared up at the sky. She clutched the metal beam on either side of her hips and swung her feet. Chat landed behind her and looked around for an akuma, but found nothing. He sighed and sat down beside her. Chat scooted his hand closer to hers and lightly touched it with his pinky finger. Ladybug suddenly peered over at him to see a kind smile on his lips. 

“I need to ask you something and be totally honest with me.” Ladybug searched his glowing emerald eyes. 

“Anything for you, m’Lady.” Chat smirked at her and she rolled her eyes. 

“I need you to be serious and focus.” Ladybug sighed and Chat’s smile fell as, he took her hand fully into his. 

“I’ll be serious.” Chat concentrated on her with all of his soul. He knew what she was going to say and he knew how he should respond to it, but he didn’t know if it was what she wanted to hear. 

“Um…” She played with her fingers in her lap and bit her bottom lip, raking her teeth along it. “I was- in the car-” She looked over and searched his green eyes. 

“Yes?” Chat leaned back on his palms, letting her hand go. 

“Why did you lock my door when I said… ya know?” Ladybug didn’t know if she wanted to hear his answer or if Alya was right. A part of her was scared that he would reject her or deny what she was getting at. 

Chat sighed and looked around them. “Plagg, claws in.” A green light flashed and she covered her eyes to protect them from the flash. She opened them to see Adrien sitting beside her instead of her kitty. 

“Tikki, spots off.” Ladybug let the red light envelop her and Adrien’s eyes widened at her outfit. She looked incredibly cute with cat ears and in her Chat themed pajamas. 

He shook his head and licked his lips, trying to pull his thoughts together to answer her question. “I don’t know whether I should tell you now or later and I’m torn between the two. I’ve been torn between the two for years now, especially within these last twenty four hours. My actions speak louder than my words. I’m assuming Alya told you something to make you think or you wouldn’t be here. Unless there really is an akuma and I’m just not seeing it.” He smirked at her and she shook her head with her knees to her chest. Adrien sighed and drew one of his knees up, looking at the sky with her. 

“Will you just tell the woman already? How longs it been, kid? I can only handle your pining for so long. ” Plagg rolled his eyes and Adrien glared at him and threw him a piece of camembert. 

“Plagg… shut it.” Adrien rolled his eyes and Plagg grumbled as, he flew off to talk with Tikki. 

Marinette searched his eyes with shaking blue bell ones and her lips parted at Plagg’s words. Maybe Alya had been right. She watched Adrien fidget beside her. “Are Plagg and Alya right about you?” 

Adrien tapped his bottom lip, sighed, and then slumped. “I wanted to take you out to a nice dinner to tell you, but nothing seems to be in my cards.” He laughed and looked over at her. “But then again… I am the epitome of bad luck.” 

Marinette watched him with a blank expression and flushed cheeks. She was hoping that she wasn’t overreading into things. That he really was saying what she was hearing. 

“Look.” Adrien shifted his body and faced her. He took her hands in his and looked deeply into her eyes. “Marinette. Um... “ He looked down at her hands and smiled with a short laugh. 

Marinette watched him peer back up at her through his bangs with a warm smile. “This is gonna be years and years of information. Do you want to head back to my place to talk about this?” 

She suddenly realized what he had asked and she nodded. She wanted to get to the bottom of this whole thing. At least, she would know where they stood. Maybe not what had happened last night, but knowing how he felt was enough. 

“Plagg, claws out.” Adrien called out and Plagg reluctantly flew into his ring. 

“Tikki, spots on.” Marinette whispered and Tikki flew into her earrings while she giggled. 

They made their way towards Adrien’s apartment and landed on the balcony. They detransformed and Adrien opened the double doors to lead her inside. He walked over to the mini bar and took two bottles of water out, bringing them over to a nervous Marinette. “I’m guessing you don’t want to drink after last night.” 

She took the cold bottle from him and nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I don’t either. I shouldn’t have done the two shots I did with Nino before I came to you.” Adrien sighed and cracked open his water. 

“So, you were going to tell me…” Marinette wrung her hands around her bottle of water. She was scared, but she knew that she needed to know if this was all because of his father or if he still had feelings for her. 

“Years ago when we were teenagers… I would show you, as Ladybug, how much I cared about you. For me, it was love at first sight, but I respected you and how you wanted to keep our identities secret. But… I also loved you as Marinette. You’re talented, creative, kind, strong, confident, clumsy…” He touched her chin with a warm smile. “Have a cute stutter around me. I love making you stumble on your words. Always have.” 

Marinette gasped as he slowly began to untangle years of confusion. He slowly removed his hand from her chin and his expression became serious. “I was afraid… of losing you as a friend, if our relationship didn’t work out. So, I never asked you out or... told you how I felt.” He shrugged and rolled his head to the side with a warm smile and lowered eyelids; before, his expression became serious again. “I didn’t want to lose what we had and when I found out you were Ladybug… I was afraid of you rejecting me like you had for years as Chat. I was scared of losing not only the love of my life, but my partner and best friend. So… I hid it from you. When I said Ladybug earlier to that red dress… it wasn’t because I only saw Ladybug. I see Ladybug in you daily as Marinette. I see Marinette in Ladybug. You’re one in the same Mari. Just like Chat and I are one in the same.” Adrien chuckled at her with a warm smile. “Just because you’re slightly less clumsy doesn’t make you not Marinette when you’re Ladybug. I love all sides of you. If I didn’t have feelings… I wouldn’t have been jealous last night, I wouldn’t have kissed you, and I wouldn’t have slept with you. I’m assuming we slept together. I was going to try to find out what Nino knew, but I got called by a certain best friend of yours.” He gave her a knowing smile and a wink.   
Marinette giggled at him and threw one of his pillows at him. He chuckled and caught it, setting it beside him on the bed. “Look, the point is that you are the woman I want. I thought about locking the door to keep you from leaving. To tell you how I felt, but… I didn’t mean to actually do it. Which is embarrassing to be honest with you.” He rubbed the back of his neck and blushed, peering up at her through his messy blonde hair.   
She worried her bottom lip with a smile and touched his cheeks, bringing her lips down to his. The kiss intensified and she was soon straddling his hips with her tongue swiping along his. Adrien softly moaned against her lips and the way her hips moved along his. He gasped as, she pulled away and looked down at him with a smile. He raised his hand up and brushed her dark hair behind her ear, while his thumb grazed her cheek. She held his wrist with her hands and closed her eyes in bliss. “I guess I owe you an explanation too.” 

Adrien let his hands slide from her hips, as she got up from his lap. He yanked her back down onto him and captured her lips again. “You don’t have to tell me. I know.” 

Marinette giggled and shook her head with her forehead pressed to his. She licked her lips and slowly opened her eyes to peer into his. “No, I have to.” 

Adrien kissed her one more time for good measure, before he slowly let her slide from his fingertips. “Okay. I’ll listen. Go ahead.” He peered at her through his long eyelashes. 

“I have liked you since you gave me your umbrella. I was scared that you would reject me if I told you and my nerves got the best of me. I- I found myself stumbling on my words around you because I didn’t feel good enough for someone like you. I didn’t think you would like me back. I was scared of you turning me down. And when you stopped flirting with me as Chat Noir when you found out it was me… I got more worried that you didn’t like what you saw. And I- I tried to deny our connection by saying it was about the stress of right now with your father and with the footage and-” Marinette’s voice trembled and broke with each word, as her nerves bubbled up her throat. “I love you, Adrien. With and without your dark past and I’m sure you have some really fucked up shit, but I’m willing to take it on with you. To take on what is happening right now with you. To discover the truth of last night with you. I want to love all parts of you. To see all parts of you. The good, the bad, and the broken. I- I want to be there for you. I-” Adrien interrupted her with a deep emotional kiss and tears falling down his cheeks. His body trembled and he held her tightly, not letting her go. He never wanted to leave this woman alone. Never wanted her to be anywhere, but in his arms. No one had ever spoke those words to him. Not even his own mother when she had been around. He truly felt loved and was not ready for how much that would make his heart swell. 

“I love you too, Marinette. I know we’re supposed to be dating for publicity reasons, but…” He ran his fingers through her hair and watched her tears fall. “I never saw it as fake. I don’t see it as fake. I don’t want to see it that way. I wanted to ask you over dinner, but…” 

Marinette didn’t even let him finish. She pushed him back onto his bed and kissed him hard on the lips. “YES! Yes, a millions times yes!” She giggled and deepened the kiss, while he chuckled and held her cheek in his palm.   
“About time!” Plagg suddenly yelled out with Tikki beside him. 

“Oh… shush Plagg. They were gonna be honest eventually. You have centuries of patience in you.” Tikki rolled her eyes and spun around in a circle in her excitement. “I’m so excited for you two! Now you’ll be able to work even better together as a team!” 

Adrien slid Marinette’s jacket down her arms and frantically moved his soft lips and tongue against hers. Marinette moaned and slid his shirt up his abs and he broke their kiss long enough to pull it over his head; before, he pulled her back down to him with a groan. 

“I’m gonna go try to gain my appetite back.” Plagg cringed and flew off to his camembert stash, while Tikki smiled warmly at the couple; before, chasing after the other Kwami to give them space. 

Marinette rolled her hips along his arousal and he quickly shoved the hem of her tank top up and over her head. She moaned and quickly undid his jeans, slowly sliding the zipper down on them. He lifted his hips to help slide them past his hips along with his boxers, setting him free. She gasped at the sight of him and he smirked up at her with a very Chat-like grin. She bent down to flick his top lip with the tip of her tongue and curled her fingers around the length of him. He groaned and ran his tongue along hers while their lips moved against each other in a hungry kiss. 

She felt his fingers graze her hip, pulling her pajama pants down her hips and thighs. He moved his hips in time with her hand and she felt her panties get wet with each reaction to her touch. She slid her legs from her pajama pants and he slid his fingers along her panties and carressed her through them. He looked up at her with heavily lidded emerald eyes and flushed cheeks, while he panted. 

He slid her panties down and she slid her legs out of them for him. Adrien gripped her hips and pulled her up to his face. She squeaked as, he flicked her clit with his tongue. He slowly circled her swollen button and she rolled her hips and gripped the blankets above him, as she cried out. He gripped her thighs and pulled her down further onto his lips and sucked on her sensitive clit; before, he flicked it once with his tongue and she uncurled around him as her orgasm took her under. He smirked and kissed her gently on her sensitive clit, before he let her climb back down him. She peered down at him with rosy cheeks and giggled, while she bit her bottom lip.

“What?” Adrien chuckled up at her as his cock flexed against her ass. 

Marinette shook her head with a smile. “Nothing.” She grazed his cock with her pussy and he suddenly cleared his throat and adjusted his hips. All he wanted was to feel her on him and surrounding him with her scent and body. 

She rolled her hips and slowly eased herself down onto his hard cock. Adrien bit his bottom lip and slowly let it go from his teeth, as he looked at her with heavy hungry green eyes. He gripped her hips and slid his hands up her stomach to her breasts. He cupped them and ran his thumbs over her peaked nipples. She arched her back and sank down onto him with short movements of her hips. Adrien groaned as he felt her walls tug and squeeze on him. 

“Marinette…” He sighed and she fell forward onto her palms. He took one breast into his mouth, while his fingers worked on the other one. 

She cried out and rolled her hips against his, letting him pump in and out of her. He panted and watched her ride him. She arched her back, moved her hips in a circle, rolled along him, curled her toes and picked up speed, crashing up and down onto him. 

Adrien suddenly flipped them to where she was on her back and he braced himself above her and stole her lips with his own, as he pumped harder into her. She wrapped her legs around his hips and dug her nails into his upper back. He groaned at the sharp pain from her fingers raking down his back and shoulders. She gripped his upper arms and peered up at him with parted lips and sparkling sapphire eyes. “I- I can’t. Ah!” Marinette panted and felt herself begin to tip over the edge again. “You’re too good at this.” 

Adrien smirked down at her and placed a kiss on her lips. She wrapped her hands behind his neck, pulled him down towards herself, and deepened the kiss as, she screamed out against his lips and came again, coating him. He moaned and slammed his palm down onto the blankets and pulled them into his fist as, he felt himself go over the edge with her. 

Marinette panted in time with him until he slowed his pace down. He pulled out of her and rolled them over. Adrien held her to his body and pulled the grey comforter over them; while he caught his breath. 

“So, what are we doing about this dating thing with your father?” Marinette sighed and licked her lips, as she tried to calm down. 

“That’s what’s on your mind right now?” Adrien looked at her in shock. He thought she would be daydreaming about what had just happened, not about their problems. 

“Sorry. It just came to mind. Um…” Marinette was embarrassed about it. It wasn’t the best time to bring it up and she knew that, but her mind was still racing with multiple ideas and questions. 

“We do as he says until this all blows over. But right now… we should go get cleaned up.” Adrien chuckled and shook his head. He stood up and walked towards his bathroom and she followed him. “You have very odd moments to be thinking about certain things.” 

“I said I was sorry…” Marinette worried her fingers together and peered down at the floor. 

Adrien smirked and turned around with towels in his hands. He handed her one and she wrapped it around herself, while he wrapped one around his hips. “Just picking on you, bugaboo.” He softly placed a kiss on her lips and rubbed her cheek with his thumb. “You know I love you. Even if you pick off moments to think of stuff.” 

Marinette pouted and slapped his bicep. “You’re one to talk, Chaton!” 

Adrien chuckled and rubbed his arm with a wince. “That hurt.” 

“You deserved it, dirty kitty.” Marinette put her hands on her hips and he laughed harder, leaving for the bathroom to start the shower.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it's so short. I promise the next update will be a lot longer. I've been busy, but I wanted to update this. :)

Adrien sat on the couch with Nino playing the latest fighting video game. “Sorry, I suddenly left you at the bar, man.” He hit a few combinations and swung Nino’s character into the wall of the screen. 

“It’s okay. I know how hectic your life is, dude. No prob.” Nino made his character spring up off of the ground and leap and kick Adrien’s. 

“Can I ask you something?” Adrien rubbed the back of his neck and set his controller down. 

“Of course, my man. What is it?” Nino set his controller down after pausing the game and gave his best friend his full attention. 

“What happened at your party last night?” Adrien searched Nino’s deep brown eyes and watched him scratch his head beneath his red baseball hat. 

“Well… Let’s see. I invited you. You showed up later after a photoshoot for your father…” Nino tried to think of the events of the whole party. He hadn’t seen much because he was busy DJing up on a stage, but he did have a good view of the celebration. “Then you came up to me and we talked…” 

“Nino. I know all of that. When did I start drinking?” Adrien rolled his eyes at his best friend and crossed his arms across his chest. 

“I saw you start slamming shots with Ivan mid party.” Nino simply answered with ease. He fiddled with his hat for a minute. “Then the next thing I know you have Marinette on the bar, lifting up her dress and drinking off of her. In a very compromising position.” Nino shook his head with a laugh. 

Adrien blushed and cleared his throat. “So what happened between doing shots with Ivan and doing that with Mari?” He sank into the couch and widened his legs with a groan. He put his head in his hand and wined. 

“Well, why don’t you ask Ivan since he was the first person that you drank with?” Nino shrugged and picked the controller back up. “Couldn’t hurt. What happened this morning? Why are you asking me this?”

Adrien didn’t know if he wanted to talk about it anymore, but he knew that he should. “I woke up between Kagami and Marinette with a killer hangover.” 

Nino about dropped the controller, but he managed to catch it. “Two women? Did you?”

“No. No. Kagami proved that didn’t happen. Luka and her took me home and I guess…” He rubbed the back of his neck and drug his hand down and peered at his friend with a sheepish smile. “I asked for them to take Marinette with me. Luka and her had a fight and I pulled her away and kicked Luka out and put her in my bed.” Adrien proceeded to tell his friend about what else had happened and how they couldn’t remember anything. 

“Well, I can’t help you with what happened in the bedroom, but…” Nino thought for a moment with a short laugh. 

“It’s fine. I honestly don’t care about what happened in my bed. It doesn’t matter now. I jus-” Adrien waved his hands in front of his face and shook his head, but Nino interrupted him. 

“Wait. Why doesn’t it matter what happened in your bed? You got me curious, man.” Nino gave him his full attention again. 

Adrien sighed and used his index finger to rotate the joystick on the controller. “My father found out and is making me date Marinette to make me look less like an arrogant playboy drunk. God, I swear those words are gonna follow me to my grave. Anyway, we started to get her a new wardrobe because my father didn’t approve of the one she had. So, while we were out I think everything got to us and for some reason throughout the last twenty four hours… I haven’t been able to control my actions or keep my hands and lips off of her. I left because Alya told me she was looking for me and then… we talked and it lead to us dating for real now. And… I may have slept with Marinette after that…” Adrien worried his bottom lip with his elbow resting on the couch and his head in his hand. 

“Wait wait wait. Let me get this straight. This all happened within that last TWENTY-FOUR hours?” Nino was shocked at how fast that had moved. Adrien just nodded with a slight hint of a blush on his cheeks. “Dude! That’s insane and a lot to take in.” 

“Tell me about it.” Adrien groaned and rubbed his eyes with his palms. “I’m still trying to comprehend it all. We just don’t know what happened. It had to be something more than drinks, Nino.” 

“Look at you saying we. How cute.” Nino picked on him and leaned across the couch with a smug grin. 

“Shut the fuck up, man.” Adrien rolled his eyes with a laugh and pushed his best friend away playfully. 

“Just calling what I see, man.” Nino laughed and went back to playing the game with Adrien. 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Alya gave Marinette a shocked expression. “Wait… walk me through it one more time.” 

“I’m dating Adrien now?” She worried her bottom lip and felt her cheeks get hot. Alya had never heard such beautiful words come from someone’s mouth before. She couldn’t get enough of it and it made her heart leap. 

“I thought you had said that.” Alya smiled at her and suddenly hugged her to death. “About time, girl!” 

Marinette giggled and hugged her back with enthusiasm. She suddenly slumped into the couch. “But I have to still fake it in front of Gabriel.” 

Alya’s eyes widened at her words and she became confused. “Why would you have to fake it for him… if it’s real?” She didn’t understand this whole thing. 

“We’re not supposed to be actually dating. It’s supposed to be a publicity stunt. Not real. I don’t think he’d think I was good enough for his son.” Marinette sighed and leaned on her hand. “I just wish I knew what happened before I drank towards the end.” 

“Luka was there. Ask him.” Alya shrugged knowing that he might know more than others. He usually held his liquor well and noticed small things that most missed. 

“Do you have his number?” Marinette searched Alya’s eyes with her worried ones. 

Alya smirked with a laugh, as she pulled out her phone to give her Luka’s contact information. She sent the information over and Marinette began to text him. 

**M: Hey, Luka. It’s Marinette. I got your number from Alya. I was wondering if we could talk about the party last night. Thanks.**

She sent the text off and set her phone on the arm of the couch with a sigh. She didn’t know if he would even answer her, but it was worth a try. The chime of her phone surprised her and she jumped at the sound. Alya watched her fumble her phone and she caught it for her best friend. 

“Nervous much?” Alya smirked at her and she awkwardly giggled; before, pulling the phone from Alya’s fingers. 

“Not at all.” Marinette lied through her teeth and Alya nodded with a smug expression. She didn’t believe Marinette, but she knew better than to keep pressing the issue.   
Marinette opened her texts to see a response from Luka. It was short and to the point. Just a meeting place and time. Nothing else. 

**Luka: Le Grand Paris at 19:00**


	6. Chapter 6

Marinette walked into the massive hotel, that was still ran by the Bougeiouses. She looked around for a man with aqua tipped hair. She saw him sitting on a couch in the lobby. She cleared her throat and walked up to him. She nervously played with her purse strap. “Hey.” Marinette smiled at him and he looked at her with a smirk. 

“Hey, Marinette.” Luka smiled at her with his arm draped over the back of the couch. 

“I haven’t talked to you in a long time.” Marinette played with her purse strap some more. It had been a few years since she had really talked to him. Being drunk and out of it didn’t count in her books. 

“Well, I mean you did just see me at that killer party, but it’s not like you’d remember that would you?” He winked at her and clicked his tongue and she blushed with embarrassment. 

A hand clamped down on Marinette’s shoulder and she looked up in shock to see a pair of stunning green eyes. “Hey, Luka. What’s it been like… a few hours since  _ WE _ saw you last?” Adrien put on his perfect model smile for the grimacing man. He watched Luka roll his eyes. 

“Longer. Why are you here anyway?” Luka sneered at the muscular man in front of him. Marinette searched from Luka to Adrien and back to Luka. 

“How’d you know where I was?” Marinette searched his eyes in shock. 

“A little fox told a friend of mine where you were headed.” Adrien winked at her and she sighed. Alya had given her up to him. Marinette knew that her best friend would do that. 

“Well since you’re both here…” Luka groaned as he pushed his palms off his thighs and stood up. He raised his hands above his head and stretched. His thin white tee rose up his taut stomach and grazed along the deep v at his hips. Marinette tried to not notice. “Let’s go to my room. I rented a hotel room just for this occasion.” 

Adrien raised an eyebrow and was instantly glad that he had shown up when he had. He didn’t trust Luka with his girl and he never would. He smiled down at Marinette and intertwined his fingers with hers as he touched her chin and brought her lips up to his. Luka looked back and felt like gagging when he saw Adrien swipe his tongue along Marinette’s. Luka watched her melt into Adrien and it made him sick. 

He hit the elevator button and they walked inside of it. Luka pressed the button for his floor and crossed his arms as they rode it up. Adrien pressed Marinette to the wall with a slam and slid his hand up her thigh, carrying the hem of her dress up with it and pulled her thigh up with his slender hand. His lips moved against hers and his tongue parted her lips and she moaned and clutched at his bicep. Adrien slowly opened his eyes and watched Luka from the corner of his eye and smirked with a wink. Luka rolled his eyes and looked away from them. 

Marinette gasped and pushed him away by his chest. “Less playing, more talking.” She deeply gazed into his eyes, showing him that she meant what she was saying. She placed a chaste kiss on his lips with her palms on his cheeks.

Adrien sighed and dropped her leg and moved to stand between her and Luka. He didn’t like them being alone together in Luka’s hotel room. She was his and no one else’s. 

The doors opened and Luka walked out first. They followed him and he opened his hotel room for them. “Welcome to my home away from home.” 

Adrien and Marinette stepped inside with Luka following close behind. They took in the reds and golds of the room. It looked the same as all of the others within the hotel. Nothing too fancy or special. Especially after seeing every room multiple times. 

Luka sat down on one of the couches and Adrien and Marinette took a seat in two chairs. “What’d you want to ask me?” Luka crossed his leg over his other one. 

“What happened at Nino’s party? I figured you would know.” Marinette swallowed hard and her anxiety rose. She wanted to know, but didn’t know if she really did. 

“Well…” Luka leaned back on the couch and put his hands behind his head. “Guess I could tell you the truth. Considering I’m probably the man to ask.” He chuckled and Adrien looked at Marinette with an irritated expression. She shook her head and took his hand in hers. 

“Alright, why don’t you enlighten us then?” Adrien spoke through his teeth in an irritated tone. 

“Alright. I knew you were going to be at the party and so would your pretty girl.” Luka smirked at the couple. 

“I wasn’t his-” Marinette burst out and nearly fell off the chair. 

Luka chuckled and placed an index finger over his lips. “I know. Would you let me finish the damn story?” Marinette nodded at his words and crossed her legs. “Okay. So, I was enjoying my music career, but it had recently tanked. But Adrien’s career never has and never will. I was jealous and angry. Not to mention he had a girl that was so infatuated with him when I had no one. Yeah, Kagami is great…. But she’s no Marinette. But I see that you’ve realized that, golden boy.” Luka flashed a glance at Adrien and his shoulders bristled like an irritated cat. “Anyway, I decided I would slip a little something in your drink. Before I knew it, you two were on each other like a wildfire. Barely had to lift a finger to get you two to act out.” He laughed harder and leaned his elbows on to his thighs. “A lot… of pent up sexual energy between you two. Just saying.” 

Adrien growled and Marinette rolled her eyes. “Will you just keep talking before I choose to knock that smile off your damn face?” Adrien crossed his arms across his chest and rolled his eyes. 

“So, Alya recorded it and spread it. It went viral within moments and reporters took photos. The next thing I know Kagami is offering for us to take you home. I hadn’t drank much, so I was good to drive. I was going to drop Marinette off at her place, but  _ YOU _ insisted that we just go to your place. So, I drove you both there. Kagami found out what I had done and she argued with me about how wrong it was for me to have done such a thing. That I had gone too far. Which,  _ your  _ drunk ass broke up our fight and kicked me out. Not very nice of ya.” Luka smirked at Adrien with a wicked expression. 

“Yeah well, doesn’t sound like you were very nice either.” Adrien didn’t meet his eyes and he pouted. 

“You’re really gonna pin this shit on me? You were the one that got all out of hand and lifted up Marinette’s dress then took her home and fucked her senseless. How gentlemanly of you.” Luka burst out laughing, but his laughter was cut short by Adrien’s fists in his shirt. 

“While, I DO NOT find it to be okay that you drugged us! I do commend you for bringing us together.” Adrien shoved him back into the couch and sat back down in the chair. 

“So, you are a couple now? I was beginning to think the media was lying to me, but then again Media doesn’t usually spout a fountain of truth.” Luka chuckled and rubbed his chin. 

“Ugh.” Adrien groaned at his comment. “You should know how that shit goes. You’re an artist in a well known band.” 

“Scratch that. Unknown band, golden child. Unknown. My career is in the shitter.” Luka widened his thighs and smiled at them. “I knew how much Marinette meant to you, whether you would admit your feelings or not… I saw it on your face. I just gave you a bit of a boost. I wanted to end your career and destroy your daddy’s pretty name, but ya know that didn’t happen. Yet.”

“Yet? What do you mean by yet?” Adrien slid to the edge of his seat with acid in his voice.

“Calm down, kitty. I suggest you keep your mangy alley cat on a leash, Marinette. I’d say  _ the _ jealousy has gone to his head.” Luka’s lips curled up on one side and his eyes smoldered.

“His or yours?” Marinette rolled her eyes and huffed in anger. She had never felt so mortified and furious in her life at what Luka had done. “I hope Kagami ripped you a new one for doing what you did!” 

Adrien flinched at her words and Luka bit his bottom lip with a dark smirk. “You don’t know the half of it, sugar.”

Marinette gave him an irritated expression and looked him in the eye. He winked at her and it only made her anger rise. “I agree that you pushed us together, but you didn’t have to do it by shoving Adrien under the bus.” She stood up and grabbed Adrien by his wrist, leading him out of Luka’s hotel room and out to the hallway. 

“What was that all about?” Adrien raised an eyebrow at her. 

She continued to stomp down the hallway towards the elevator without so much as a thought. Her emotions were rising and she was becoming more angry by the second. “I just don’t like people making fun of my kitty. You don’t deserve to be talked to that way.” 

Adrien planted his feet into the ground and she let out a cute sound like she was trying to pull something she couldn’t. Adrien smirked and yanked her to him. Her hand caught on his chest and her eyes flew open wide, as he pressed his body against hers. He tilted her chin up and captured her soft lips with his own. She sighed and let him deepen it as she closed her eyes, giving into him. “Mine.” He broke the kiss, peered into her crystal blue eyes, and whispered the word from his soft lips. It sent a shiver up her spine and he leaned into her neck with a smirk, pressing kisses along her pulse point. Drawing her in. 

  
  
  



	7. Chapter 7

Adrien stood in the grand foyer in a plum button down shirt that was tucked into a pair of steel grey slacks. His belt was black with a rectangular silver buckle. His black dress shoes were pristine. He had on a black suit coat with a sage green pocket square tucked into the breast pocket. He placed one of his hands in the pocket of his pants. His hair was slicked back with gel and a makeup artist had put concealer and foundation on his face to make him appear less tired. Gabriel had made sure to bring in his stylist and makeup assistant for the special occasion. 

Adrien tapped his foot and waited patiently for Marinette to come down the center staircase. His father had kept him from her and he was excited to see what she was wearing. 

The door to his bedroom opened and he heard the familiar sound of heels on the tiled floors. He hated heels, but he knew that his father loved them. How they made your calves and legs look leaner and all that stuff that Adrien didn’t care about. 

His gaze slowly trailed up the massive staircase until his eyes landed on a pair of diamond accented stilettos. The were a satin black and a thin strap ran across the top of her foot, while another strap wrapped around her ankle. He followed the line of her calf with his eyes until he reached her dress. It was red silk and skirted along her curves with thin straps, that wrapped around her shoulders and down her back in silver strands of diamonds.

His lips parted and his mouth ran dry as he took in the neckline. It was a sweetheart neckline and curved around her rounded breasts and a ladybug pendant rested between them in red rubies set in white 24K gold. His gaze trailed up to her face and hair. The makeup artist had given her a smokey eye and a rich crimson lipstick that popped against her skin tone. Her midnight hair was up in a loose bun and a silver filigree hair clip sat at the back of her hairstyle, along the base.  

Marinette nearly tripped on the stairs as she held the dress above her feet. She didn’t want to ruin any of the pieces she was wearing. Adrien ran up the stairs to help her walk down them. He slid his hand along the base of her spine and took her hand, as he walked her down the stairs. Marinette looked up at him. “Is this really necessary for a trip to the Louvre and dinner?” 

Adrien sighed and kissed her on the top of her head. “You know my father. He probably wants us to make appearances.” Adrien smiled and stopped at the foot of the stairs. He turned to face her and held her face in his palms. She peered up at him and her lips parted when she saw his expression. His eyes sparked when he looked at her. Like she was the most beautiful woman in the whole world and she was shocked to see him staring at her like that. “You look absolutely pawsitively stunning, Marinette. That dress really suits you.” 

“I’m afraid I’m going to break it. It’s too much. It’s so expensive. I’ll probably spill-” Marinette rambled endlessly and suddenly his lips were on hers, stopping her never ending rant. She softly sighed as he deepened the kiss and pulled her closer by the small of her back. Her hand reached up to grip his bicep through his shirt, while the other touched his hip. 

Adrien placed one last chaste kiss on her lips, before he pulled away. Marinette looked up at him and giggled at the smear of red across his lips. She reached up and ran her thumb along the smudge of lipstick to clean it off. Marinette was soon circled by a makeup artist, who was busy touching up her makeup before moving on to Adrien. 

“It’s just going to get worse again. There really is no point in-” Adrien rolled his eyes and tried to fight the makeup artist from setting his fresh foundation. 

“ADRIEN!” Gabriel interrupted him in a scolding manner and Adrien stood up straight and gave the makeup artist a swift thank you. “I want you on your best behavior on this date. I want you to also show the world how in love you two are. I want them to take photos of you, so make it good. And Mademoiselle Dupain Cheng?” Gabriel smiled at her. 

“Yes, Monsieur Agreste?” Marinette swallowed hard and wrung her hands together. 

“You look beautiful in that  _ Gabriel  _ gown. Also, this is your moment to impress me. Don’t let me down.” He smiled, turned to walk away, and peered over his shoulder with a wicked expression. “Either of you.” 

A shiver ran up Marinette’s spine at the way he had said that. Something was off about it. Something dark and menacing. It was like he was mocking them, threatening them. 

Adrien leaned down and whispered into her ear. “Don’t let him get to you, Bugaboo. Besides who needs to let him down when we’re not even pretending to love one another. It’ll be easy to impress him. It’s not the same as when he tells me that. Trust me.” Adrien smiled at her and ran his thumb along her jaw. Something about the last thing he said made her sad. She felt bad for him all of a sudden.  _ Not the same as when his father tells him that? How is it not the same? _

He had begun to head towards the front double doors when, Marinette reached out and grabbed his sleeve. “A-Adrien?” 

“Hm?” He turned around to catch a glimpse of her with her head down. She was busy nervously rubbing her upper arm with her hand. 

“W-What do you mean by not the same?” She peered up at him and he could see her blue eyes shake with oncoming tears. 

“Oh no you don’t, Marinette. We have a whole night ahead of us and I’ll be damned if that makeup artist comes back here.” He quickly pulled his sage green pocket square out of his suit pocket and began to catch the tears as they fell. “There. Better. And no annoying makeup artist and stylist in sight, M’Lady. I’d say we’re home free.” He winked at her, brushed his thumb along her cheek bone, and she giggled at him. She held onto his wrist and softly hummed, peering into his forest green eyes. 

Suddenly, she realized that he had used the silk pocket square for her makeup and she began to panic. She grabbed it from his hand and began to fall into a spiral of thoughts and words. “B-but you used a part of your garment and- and- it’s ruined now and I- I’m so sorry. I’m so stupid. I’ll fix it. I’ll make a new one. I-” 

Adrien touched her chin and smiled down at her. “Marinette? Stop. It’s okay… It’ll come right out with a little hydrogen peroxide. It’s going to be alright. Just try to relax and have fun. I’m not going to let my father get in the way of a perfectly nice date. Are you?” He leaned into her more and pocketed the silk square. Marinette shook her head and intertwined her fingers with his as they left to the company car. 

The drive was short and it didn’t take very long for them to reach the museum. Once Gorilla parked the car, Adrien got out and walked around to the other side. A crowd had already formed to take photos of Adrien helping Marinette out of the silver car. 

“Well, that was fast.” Marinette spoke through her teeth as Adrien laced his arm around her waist. She put on a fake smile with him for the hungry photographers. Flashing cameras blinded her, but she tried to ignore it. 

“Yeah, well. Leave it to the media to jump on something as soon as my father releases our location.” Adrien gave his famous model smile, and waved, as he lead her inside of the pyramid shaped glass building. 

The photographers followed them into the Louvre and they walked along, taking in the art on the walls and the beautiful statues. The flashing cameras were getting old and Adrien was tired of them being around. Marinette was busy talking about a painting by Monet when Adrien suddenly pinned her to a blank space on the wall. He brushed his fingers beneath her chin and tilted her head up. 

Marinette looked up at him with wide eyes. “What are you doing?” She whispered to him in shock. 

Adrien leaned down and whispered into her ear. “Giving them something worth posting, Bugaboo.” He slowly licked and nibbled on her ear, trailing kisses down her neck. He settled in, creating love bites along her pulse point. She gasped and clutched his biceps in her hands and closed her eyes with her bottom lip between her teeth. He pressed his body against hers and trailed his heady kisses up to her lips. She sighed as he slowly dipped his tongue between her parted lips and pressed his thigh against the apex of hers. She moaned into his kiss, dropped her hands to her sides, and he kissed her with more hunger than before. Cameras flashed and took photos of them. 

Adrien slowly slid his hands down and intertwined his fingers with hers. He moved her hands up the wall until they rested beside her head, and gently rubbed his thigh against her. She softly mewled, forgetting the cameras were even there or that they were inside a very public museum. “You wanna give them a real show?” He whispered against her ear. She gasped, as he let go of one of her hands and slowly slid the back of his hand down her arm and down her side. He trailed his fingertips over her hip and between her thighs. Adrien bit her bottom lip and tugged, while he slid his fingers along the silk material. She gasped and he crashed his lips against hers as he palmed her through the beautiful dress. 

“A- Adrien. We’re in a public pla- Ah…” Marinette cried out as he circled her clit through the fabric and her legs trembled as she clutched for any part of him to keep her standing. 

He smirked at her and continued to kiss her with sinfully sweet kisses, while he worked her through the fabric. She rolled her hips and eventually broke the kiss to gasp and peered into his smoldering emerald eyes. 

“Cum for me, baby.” Adrien whispered, pressed slightly harder down onto her swollen nub, and she came with his name on her lips. More cameras flashed and she blushed from embarrassment.

“How was that any better than that night at the party? We’re supposed to be proving them wrong… not right! You spoiled, Cat.” Marinette pushed him away from her and stormed off, leaving him in a loss for words. 

“Wait! Marinette!” Adrien ran after her and watched her run into the ladies restroom. He groaned and looked around him before he snuck inside of the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Two women stood at the sink washing their hands. They looked at him with shocked expressions and he blushed with a nervous smile. He rubbed the back of his neck and bowed, “Excuse me, ladies.” 

“Go away!” Marinette suddenly called out from a stall in a broken voice and sniffed. 

“Mari…” Adrien sighed and walked over to the stall she was hiding in.   

“Don’t Mari me. You’re no better as yourself than when you’re a mangy alley cat.” Marinette held her knees to her chest and blurted the words out between irritated sobs. 

Adrien glanced around them, noticing they were alone now. “Look.” He leaned on the stall door. “You don’t mean that and you know it.” 

“I DO MEAN IT! YOU MADE ME ORGASM IN FRONT OF CAMERAS, ADRIEN! Do you know how embarrassing that is? How WRONG that is?” Marinette sobbed and desperately gestured with her hands, gazing up at the ceiling. 

Adrien growled in frustration and got onto the floor. He started to crawl underneath the stall and she panicked. “NO! DON’T! You’re ruining your nice clothing! You’re soiling it! Don’t! Just stop.” She tried to scramble further back on the toilet, while he stood up with a groan. 

“Marinette. I don’t give a shit about these clothes or yours.” Adrien sighed and grabbed her shoulders. He shook her lightly and brought his face close to hers. “The only damn thing I care about is you! Not all of this! This is just material possessions! THINGS! YOU’RE NOT A THING, MARINETTE! YOU’RE MY GIRL! MY LADY! THE ONE THING KEEPING ME FROM TAKING A GUN TO MY HEAD AND ENDING IT ALL! Do you know how long… I’ve spent wanting to lodge a bullet into my own brain, MARI? A LONG FUCKING TIME. So, long I went numb! Do you know the one person that stepped in and saved me each and every damn time?” He searched her bluebell eyes with his chartreuse ones. He watched her shake her head and he loosened his grip on her. 

Adrien looked down at her lap and slowly peered back up at her. He locked his gaze on hers and pressed his lips together. He looked up at the ceiling for a moment to hold back his tears. He returned his gaze back to her with a quivering bottom lip and his voice broke with each word. “It was you, Marinette. You or Ladybug, but seeing as how you’re the same person? It was you. When I almost gave up on my birthday? When I almost gave up on the first Christmas without my mother? When I almost gave up when we got our new powers? When I leapt from that skyscraper and trusted you? YOU saved ME every time. You’re not some play thing and you never were. I’m sorry if I made you feel that way. I’m sorry that you’re stuck in this hell with me, but… “He looked away from her as the tears sprang from his eyes and he turned his attention back on her. “But I wouldn’t want to be suffering with anyone else. To be honest. I’m glad it’s you. I’m glad it’s always been you.” 

She looked up at him and leapt up, wrapping her arms around him. She played with the soft hair at the nape of his neck and he sighed and pressed chaste kisses on her shoulder. “Never leave me, please. Please don’t go.” Adrien broke down and Marinette held him for a moment. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. I don’t want to think about it.” 

“I’m sorry. Let’s just get through this date and give as much romance as we can.” She pushed him away slightly and looked at him with determination. “No more sin kitty.” 

Adrien laughed and wiped his eyes with a nod. “Okay. Romance only.” 

“Good.” Marinette took his hand and lead him out of the stall and back out into the museum. 

They spent their date flirting and holding hands. Strolling through the park, splashing water from the fountain at one another. Cameras flashed the whole way, capturing giggles, smiles, and chaste kisses. They had a wonderful candle lit dinner on the terrace of a luxury cafe. They sipped fine wine and spoke about old times. Cameras kept flashing and they didn’t have a care in the world. All that mattered was that they had each other. As long as they had each other… they could make it through anything.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **So, I'm going to explain this chapter because it's come to my attention that people are mad at me right now. Not just at Adrien. I know it's because I didn't explain it in enough detail and because what you're all imagining is entirely different than what actually happened. So, while I was going to explain it in more detail next update... I guess I will before then.**
> 
> **Adrien is standing in the way of the cameras. The only thing they can see is her expressions and probably hear her, but most of the conversation is too quiet for anyone to hear. To the cameras... it only looks like a couple making out against a wall. Marinette is embarrassed because SHE knows what actually went down, while the press only knew they were making out against a wall. He's touching her over the dress. Not lifting it... nothing. His hand is between their bodies and he's shielding it all with his body.**
> 
> **Adrien is used to the press and he's used to working around the cameras after years of it. If she wanted him to stop... she could have stopped it. It wasn't against her will. She still had a say. She didn't want it to stop, so it went down. It was only afterwards that she realized what it was she let happen. Adrien isn't the only guilty party here. Marinette is too. He warned her what he was going to do and she went with it. After all, in the end she pushed him away and he backed up. He didn't push her back and go no you can't leave. He let her go. So, what I'm saying is... she could have done that at any time and he would have backed up. She wasn't trapped there. He wasn't pressuring her. He wasn't holding her down, threatening her. It was a mutual moment. They're both guilty.**
> 
> **Anyway, I'm sorry to everyone that I have offended. I didn't realize how upset people would get over this one part. It was not my intention and characters tend to do what they want when I write. It wasn't in my plans to have Adrien do that, but it happened, as did her running away. That also wasn't planned. I was going to have her be all loving right after, but again... characters change their mind. Hopefully, next chapter will be better for you all. I won't do it again. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Songs I wrote to:**
> 
>  
> 
> **Sorry by Meg Myers**
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> **Make a Shadow by Meg Myers**
> 
>  
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> **The Morning After by Meg Myers**
> 
>  
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> **Lemon Eyes by Meg Myers**
> 
>  
> 
> **Sugar, We're Going Down by Fall Out Boy (Fits Perfectly)**

Adrien and Marinette walked back into the mansion, exhausted from their date, and Nathalie met them. Adrien ran his hand through his hair, making it messy before he looked up to see her.

“You’re father wants to talk to you.” Nathalie began to walk towards the office and Adrien sighed. Marinette searched from him to her and followed them to Gabriel’s office.

Nathalie knocked on the door and after a short come in, she opened the door for them.

Adrien and Marinette found him hunched over a slew of photos from photographers. Photos of Adrien with Marinette pressed against a wall at the Louvre. They walked over and peered down at them. Adrien put his hands in his pockets and cleared his throat and Marinette blushed at them.

The photos didn’t show much. It was mostly Adrien’s back each time. The only thing that was showing any indication that something lasciviousness was going on, was her expression. But even then… it was mostly Adrien with his lips on hers. To the untrained eye, it looked like a couple making out in public.

She looked up at Adrien and smiled when she realized that he had shielded her from the press. “You blocked it?” She mouthed at him in silent words and he just smiled at her.

“Of course. We’ll talk Later.” He mouthed back and Gabriel’s clearing of his throat brought them out of their private conversation.  

“Adrien. I know you know better than this.” Gabriel sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“I’m sorry, father. It won’t happen again. Trust me. I-” Adrien played with his silver ring and began to spill his emotions at letting his father down, as usual, but Gabriel interrupted him.

Gabriel rose his hand into the air, noticing the tension between the two adults, and spoke with a serious canter. “I don’t approve of what you have done, Adrien. But, your mother and I were young once. And seeing as how they didn’t capture much… I’ll let this pass, but don’t do it again!”

Adrien’s mouth fell open in shock, “Wait! What?”

Gabriel cleared his throat and handed the photos over to Adrien. He didn’t want to cause more pain. Didn’t want to drive them over the edge more. This was their fight and not his. He could only give them a life lesson of his own in hopes of making them understand. “One time when your mother and I were on a date… We too had press following us around and I made the decision to do something, on a whim, that probably wasn’t the best.” He sighed, took off his glasses, and pinched the bridge of his nose. He couldn’t believe that he was telling his son such a personal story.

“We were at the theatre taking in a show when I thought it’d be fun to bring her onto my lap. She was shocked to say the least. I then said let’s make a real show for them to talk about and she blushed. It was only after our satisfaction that she cared about the cameras. She slapped my cheek and ran off to the bathrooms. Naturally, I followed her and tried to calm her down. I apologized to her. In the end she was fine. A little angry, but we seemed to work it out.” Gabriel sighed and pointed at the images in Adrien’s hands. “I went ahead and had the evidence of that moment destroyed. I paid them all off to ensure their silence. The only thing people will know about are the romantic moments after that. Like I said. I know how that can be, but you need to learn from this. You already screwed up once at that party and now you’ve done it again. I won’t have this happen a third time.” Gabriel looked at them with a stern expression and Marinette nodded, while Adrien was lost in the very idea of his parents having sex around cameras. Something that he would never fathom doing. Too risky for his taste. “Now, get out of here. I think you two have a lot to talk about. I can tell by Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng’s expression.”

Marinette jumped at her name and looked at Adrien with her lip between her teeth. Her cheeks were a bright shade of pink. “Y-yes. We do.”

“I’m sorry, father.” Adrien emerged from his thoughts, bowed, and took Marinette’s hand. He walked out of the office, leaving Nathalie there with Gabriel.

“What are you thinking?” Nathalie watched the man rub his chin in thought.

“I’m thinking that this may be more than a lie. When she told me she loved him… I wasn’t sure it was the truth. But now… he screwed up and instead of leaving… she stayed. She reminds me of Emilie in that sense. I screwed up so many times and yet she stayed by my side and handled the pitfalls with me. She was strong and lively and I see that in Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng.” Gabriel peered over at the massive portrait of his wife. “I may have been wrong about this whole thing, Nathalie.”

 

\-----------------------------------------------------

 

Adrien sat at Marinette’s kitchen island, playing with the photos of them. He didn’t say anything for a moment and the sounds of Marinette digging out mixing bowls and pans filled the silence. She was stress baking and he knew it. He had seen it enough times to know. In his mother and in Marinette.  

“I’m… I’m really sorry, Marinette.” Adrien didn’t look at her.

Suddenly the slamming of a metal whisk on the counter woke him from his remorse. “YOU KNOW WHAT’S SO STUPID?”

He peered up to find an irritated Marinette and he shook his head.

Marinette sighed and tied her pink apron around her waist. “You know what? It doesn’t matter.” She began to crack eggs into a mixing bowl. “If I didn’t want you to do that… I would have pushed you away sooner. It was fun and wild and I never felt so alive, but it was the shock of realizing that cameras were there that set me into flight mode. So, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for running away and making it look worse than it was. I should have trusted you. Should have- You’ve been doing this for so long.” She added the milk, water, vanilla extract, and flour to the bowl.

“It’s true that I have been doing this for a long time, Bugaboo. Longer than I care to have.” Adrien sighed and began to tear up the images, when Marinette suddenly dropped the whisk and grabbed the photos.

“WAIT!” She took them and his mouth was open in shock, as she ran into another room and came back with tape. He watched her meticulously piece them back together.

“What are you doing?” Adrien raised an eyebrow in shock at the project that the love of his life had begun to do.

“Just because it’s being erased from everyone’s mind… doesn’t mean that I want to forget it. You’re father’s right. We’re young. We make mistakes. Aren’t we allowed to? I don’t want to forget the time we had in front of those cameras. I don’t want to forget you. I’d rather learn from it.” She smiled and held up the fixed image. “There. Fixed. And you know what? I’m gonna frame it.”

Adrien shook his head and chuckled, while he rubbed his eyes. “Seriously?”

“What? Look at the love in my eyes. When are we ever going to get a picture like this again.” Marinette smiled and ran off to get a frame that she had lying around.

“Marinette.” Adrien ran after her and grabbed her by the wrist as she was digging through drawers in her craft room. He pulled her to him and touched her cheek. “I know I embarrassed you and I know what I did wasn’t much better than at the party.”

Marinette stopped searching for a moment and turned to peer up at a very sad Adrien. She touched his cheeks with her hands and rubbed his cheekbone with her thumb. “I was embarrassed because I knew what had happened. Not by what they probably captured. I- I panicked once the high faded and I pushed you away and caused a scene. I said things I shouldn’t have. I said that- well what I said…” She rolled her eyes and moved her head from side to side, before she continued. “And it was better than at the party because we weren’t under the influence. Neither of us had drank or had been drugged.” Marinette sighed and let his face slip from her fingers. “I’m glad that your father erased it like it didn’t happen. I owe that man more than is possible, but I’m not going to chastise you for what you did. After all, I’m just as guilty.” She found the frame and carried it out to the kitchen.

Adrien followed her like a lost puppy and Marinette hummed as she began to set the photo inside. She folded the prongs in and set it up beside the stove. “There. It’s pawsitively purrrfect.”  She winked at her soulmate with a smile to let him know that all was forgiven.

Adrien sighed and sat back down on the stool he had been sitting on before. “It’s- it’s okay if you think what I did was wrong.” He played with his ring and looked down at his lap. “You can tell me. I’ll listen.”

Marinette sighed and picked up the mixing bowl. She had hoped that her little pun and wink would have brought him out of his self-pity, but he didn’t seem to have even noticed. Her heart broke for him. She had never seen him so low. “Come over here.”

Adrien looked up at her and pushed away from the island. He slowly sauntered over to the stove. Marinette put him in front of the stove and took his hands. “You’re going to make crepes. Because cooking and baking always makes me feel better.” She smiled and made him pour some of the thin batter into the small pan. She rotated his hand, causing the batter to coat the round surface. “There you go.” She made him set the pan back onto the burner and she pointed at a tiny, pink, kitty themed spatula. “Use that when the edges start to pull away from the sides and curl up.”

Adrien sighed and watched the crepe cook on the stove. Tears fell from his eyes and he tried to hide it, while Marinette was behind him cutting strawberries. “I can hear you.” She lifted her foot and kicked him gently in the butt. “It’s okay. You’re fine. I’m fine. We’re fine. A little mistake never hurt anyone. We all make them. Why can’t we?”

Adrien rubbed his nose with the back of his hand and flipped the crepe. He still kept quiet as she walked over to drop the strawberries into a saucepan with some white sugar. She whisked them on the stove beside him. “I love you. All of you. If you’re going down? I’m going with you. And, Kitty, we’re going down swinging.” Marinette winked at him with a warm smile.

His nickname brought him out of his spiraling, negative, thoughts. Thoughts where he blamed himself and tried to think of logical ways that he could have made an alternative choice. He placed the finished crepe onto a plate, before he put another spoonful of batter into the pan and rolled it around to coat the bottom. Marinette leaned over and kept stirring the berries. “You know you’re cute when you cook, Mr. Cat-tastrophe.”

Adrien jumped at the new nickname and pursed his lips. “Ha-ha very funny, Ms. Trip-over-my-words.”

Marinette burst out laughing and took the cooked strawberries off of the burner. “How can I compete with such a clawsome partner in crime?”

Adrien rolled his eyes and flipped the crepe. “I think you mean clawsome LEADER.” He smirked and leaned over at her.

Marinette tapped his cheek with her palm. “There’s... my silly kitty.”

Adrien placed the second crepe onto a plate and Marinette went about filling both with the sweet strawberry mixture. She folded each one and drizzled dark chocolate along the top. Marinette dusted the top with powdered sugar and opened a drawer to grab a couple of forks. Adrien was busy shutting off the burners and rinsing the pans for her.

“Come on. Let’s sit on the couch and watch a movie. We haven’t just sat and relaxed in a long time and it’s severely overdo.”  Marinette carried the plates over to her couch. Adrien dried his hands on her pink kitchen towel before he put it back along the stove’s handle. He walked over to the couch and sat down beside her. She smiled at him and passed him a plate. It smelled sweet and delicious. He couldn’t wait to eat it.

“I just want to say that even if those photos had gotten out? I wouldn’t love you any less. I wouldn’t want you any less. You mean too much to me. You keep me on the right path. Without you I’d follow my heart and while that is a good thing… it can also be a downfall. Sometimes my heart makes me do dumb things and when I start to? You bring me back down from the clouds with your logic. And… I guess I’m saying…” Marinette cut her crepe with her fork and drug it through the chocolate syrup. “You keep me safe. You make me come back to reality. Without you… I could make some pretty bad decisions.” Marinette put the bite of crepe into her mouth and watched Adrien do the same.

His eyes closed and he sighed as he took in the taste of the bitter dark chocolate and sweet strawberries. He swallowed and smiled at her. “And I wouldn’t have made it this long as Chat Noir without you saving my tail once or twice along the way. None of us are purrfect, Marinette. Just like you said. And that’s okay.” Adrien smiled at her and took another bite of his crepe.

“Wanna watch a bad movie and forget about this mess?” Marinette set her plate down and stood up.

“I’d love that, Bugaboo.” Adrien sighed and watched her slide in an old, cheesy, black and white film.

Marinette pushed play and sat back down. She picked up her plate and he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her to his side. He kissed her on the top of her head and focused on the woman on the television screen in 1930’s clothing. “I’m so lucky to have a bug like you. Thank you. For everything.”

Marinette blushed and peered up at him. He peered into her bluebell eyes with bright green ones. She closed the space between them and kissed him on the lips. “You have that wrong.”

“Ooooh?” Adrien leaned back with a dark smirk. “Do I?”

“I’m the lucky one.” She kissed him hard on the lips. He took her plate from her and set it on the table beside them. She touched his cheeks and he leaned her down on the couch. The movie was left forgotten as the woman on the television proclaimed her love for a stubborn man.  

 

[Sugar, We're Going Down](https://youtu.be/uhG-vLZrb-g) <\-- song   

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **This story is going to wrap up next chapter. Thought I'd give out a warning, so that it was less abrupt. :) I hope you have all enjoyed this story, as short as, it was. But I have lost the drive to make this story what it was intended to be. So, I changed the original plan to what it is now. One last chapter of Gabriel talking to Adrienette. Anyway, thanks for all of the kudos and nice comments. Thank you for reading and for everything. :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **This is the end. The last chapter. Originally it was intended to go on for a while, but... I didn't really want to keep up on this story once I got backlash. The characters became broken and last update and this one is the result of that. I have explained how it was supposed to go below and then you'll see how it ended up going as well. I am sorry that I ended it so abruptly, but I didn't want to get more backlash for something that seemed so small to me. It left me confused and utterly speechless because I have written so much worse things within this fandom and something so small is what caused a blow up. Anyway, Here is fluff and sadness, but mostly fluff. I'm glad you read this story and thank you for all of the kudos and nice comments. :) I'll see you all in my other stories. :)**

Adrien sat on the edge of Marinette’s bed when he woke up to his phone going off. He looked down at the screen to see a text from Nathalie. 

 

**Your father would like to invite you all to brunch at the house.**

Adrien sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Marinette leaned on her elbow and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back down to the bed. “What’s wrong?” 

Adrien got up and slipped on his pants. “My father wants us to come over for brunch.” Marinette watched his back as he buttoned and zipped them. 

“Why?” She was confused by why he would want to talk to them when he just had the day before. What more was there left to say? “Well are you going to answer?” 

“Yeah. Yeah I’m gonna go. Without you. I’ve done enough to you. Ruined you. I can do this alone.” He sighed and slipped his shirt on, leaving it unbuttoned. 

“Adrien.” Marinette stood up and walked after him. She grabbed his arm as he was busy putting all of his things into his pockets from her kitchen island. “ADRIEN!” She yelled and yanked him back. 

“What?” Adrien turned around to face her and she searched his green eyes. 

“I’m going with you.” Marinette shook his arm to solidify her decision. “I am going with you, whether you like it or not. This is OUR problem. Not just yours.” 

Adrien sighed and relaxed. “I’ll just go sit on the couch while you get ready.” He put his hands in his pockets and wandered over to the couch. There was no point in fighting her.

It didn’t take her long to get ready to go see his father and when they arrived, Gabriel was waiting on the staircase. 

“Hello, father.” Adrien sighed and placed a hand in his pocket. 

“Your hairs a mess and your clothing is wrinkled.” Gabriel took note of his son’s disheveled appearance. 

“Nice to see you too, father.” Adrien ran his hands through his hair to straighten it out and began to smooth and tuck in his button down shirt. He rolled the sleeves up to his elbows and held his arms out at his sides and did a spin. “Better?” His voice came out monotoned and his expression was one of unamusement. He really didn’t care anymore.

“Look, I need to have a word with you both. So, cut the pity me shit and let’s go have some brunch and talk about this.” Gabriel began and Adrien was pulled from his self pity by his father cursing. 

Adrien and Marinette followed him to the dining room table and they sat down across from one another. 

“Okay…” Gabriel sighed and sat down at the head of the table. “I’m going to tell you this because at first I had a plan. I wanted to make everyone fall in love with your fake relationship until someone broke. Until someone fell apart. Then I had high hopes that Hawkmoth would have akumatized them.” 

Marinette and Adrien’s mouths fell open in shock. They couldn’t believe what Gabriel was saying. 

“So, I had Nathalie call in a favor to Lila. I had Lila give Luka designer drugs. I knew her career was falling apart due to them, so I took the advantage. She met up with Luka and gave him the pills. He didn’t want to do it at first, but seeing as how his music career was sinking… he was willing to get back at the son of a wealthy designer. But… When you two had those photos taken and I saw how Marinette stayed by your side... I realized that you two were being serious. I realized how real it was. So, I felt guilty. I still do. So, here we are.”

Adrien slammed his fist down on the table. “Why the fuck would you want to akumatize someone? Why would you help someone like that?” 

“Because Chat Noir! How would you feel if your son was running around risking their lives in a catsuit?” Gabriel growled back and Marinette just tried to stay out of it.  

Adrien pressed his nails into his palm. “How long?” He hid in his hair. 

“How long what?” Gabriel was taken aback by his question. 

“How long have you known?” Adrien let the tears fall from his eyes. 

“Since, your mother passed.” Gabriel sighed. “How else does my kid get out of an open window so high up?” 

Adrien cleared his throat. “Yeah, well. You never seemed to care when I was there. Only when I was gone.” 

Marinette worried her bottom lip and looked from Adrien to Gabriel. She was so lost in this conversation right now. Was his father Hawkmoth then? 

“So, why didn’t you just take my miraculous in my sleep? I wouldn’t put that past you.” Adrien sighed and went to take off his ring to pass it to him. There was no point anymore. He slid the silver ring across the table and Marinette’s heart sped up.

“I don’t want it anymore.” Gabriel pushed it back to him across the table and Adrien shot up to look at him. 

“WHAT?” He was shocked at his father’s decision.

“You’re mother is gone. She’s been gone. I don’t want to lose you too and if I make that wish? I lose you and your mother wouldn’t want that. She’d never live with herself if she knew you were sacrificed for her.” Gabriel sighed and placed Adrien’s hand in Marinette’s. She looked up into Adrien’s eyes with blushing cheeks and shaking blue eyes. Adrien warmly smiled at her and brought her knuckles to his soft lips. “Besides. You two deserve to be happy and I won’t interfere anymore.” He took his butterfly miraculous off and placed it inside of it’s box. He passed it to them. Adrien and Marinette both looked at him in shock. “I renounce Nooroo for good. I only wish to see my grandchildren. You’ll make beautiful clothing, Marinette.” He winked at her and she gasped.

“You sound like you’re dying.” Adrien played with his croissant. 

“Actually, that was another topic I needed to discuss.” Gabriel sighed and placed his glasses on the table. 

Adrien’s heart sank at his words. Marinette watched Adrien with careful eyes. “What are you even saying?” 

“Your tablet?” Gabriel peered over at Nathalie. She brought it over to him and he slid his fingers along the smooth surface. He passed the device over to them and Adrien shoved it away as fast as possible. 

“No!” He shoved his chair away from the table and ran up the stairs to his old bedroom. 

“I- I’m really sorry, Monsieur Agreste.” Marinette swallowed hard as she looked at his heightened white blood cell count and the date that was to be his last. “But what about your son? You’re not going to do chemo or anything?” 

“Let me show you something.” Gabriel pushed himself away from the table after he put his glasses back on. 

Marinette took one last sip of her wine and walked after him. Gabriel opened a room that she had never seen before, as a sad piano song began to play from above them. 

“Is that?” Marinette was shocked by how the complex song was executed with perfection. 

“Yeah. He only plays when he’s sad now-a-days.” Gabriel sighed and opened a drawer within his spacious bedroom. He pulled out a brown leather journal and passed it to Marinette. “Give this to Adrien when he’s ready. Not now. Give it to him when you find out your expecting. I think it will help him.” 

Marinette slid her hand over her stomach and her eyes shook, as she clutched the journal to her chest. 

“Nooroo told me. I’m sure Tikki knows too.” Gabriel sighed and lead her back out of the bedroom, once she put the journal in her purse. “Now, go talk to my son. He shouldn’t be dealing with this alone.” 

Marinette suddenly wrapped her arms around him and held him. “You shouldn’t be dealing with this alone either.” 

Gabriel ran his fingers through her hair. “I’ve dealt with this a long time by myself. It’s no different. Now, go.” He held her at an arms length away and she nodded. 

Marinette wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands and she opened Adrien’s bedroom door. The piano music grew louder and she found him slumped over the piano, lost in the sad song.

She closed the door and sat down beside him. Marinette raised her hands and began to play the sweet melody with him. He looked over at her in shock and she just warmly smiled and trailed her fingers along with him. They sat in silence and continued the song together until the end.

Adrien gently let his hands fall into his lap. “When did you learn to play?” 

“Well… funny you should ask…” Marinette rubbed the back of her neck and sheepishly looked up at him. “The day I found out that you played. I- I wanted to play with you one day. So… I saved up and… bought a piano. I practiced and practiced. So, here we are. And… Nooroo and Tikki might know a secret.” She grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach. His eyes searched from her stomach to her eyes and they shook while his lips parted. 

He suddenly pulled her into his arms and sobbed on her shoulder. “But we won’t know for sure until I’m late and-” 

He shook his head and pulled away from her, kissing her from her cheeks to her lips and back again. “I don’t care. I don’t care if we don’t know for sure yet. I’m just so happy.” He pressed his forehead to hers and she smiled with tears in her eyes. 

“Really? You’re not scared or mad?” Marinette let her tears fall down 

“No, it’s purrfect. Everything is perfect, M’Lady.” He brought her into a tight embrace again. “Too perfect.” 

Marinette ran her fingers through his hair and saw his father smiling through the cracked door. Gabriel gave a nod to Marinette’s smile and little wave. He disappeared from the doorway and Marinette buried her face into Adrien’s shoulder.

Marinette pulled away from him and dug into her purse. She passed him the journal. “Your father wanted you to have this when we found out, but seeing as how I just spilled the news. Here you go. For when you need it most.” 

Adrien took the journal with shaking hands and opened the front page. 

 

**To my son. I only hope that this will help you when I am no longer here. That this will lift you up when you are down. That it will guide you through the hardest of times. I only wish that I could have been there to see my first grandchild, but I know I will be. I know I will be watching you grow and watching everything around you blossom. Because I know you are important and will be. The world needs you. Just like I did when you came to me as a surprise. It was a gift in the middle of chaos. Please know that I loved you. That I would have stayed longer if I could have. If I could have been stronger. I know your father probably hasn’t told you much. He probably made it seem like I disappeared to avoid remembering what happened. That’s so like him. I’m going to take these last pills. The last ones I will ever have to and watch my room turn into bluebells. And the warm sun will remind me of your smile and I know I’ll at once be at peace. I love you, Kitten. More than the sun loves the moon. But it is my time to go. I can’t do this anymore. Don’t blame yourself. It wasn’t your fault. I’m just tired. So tired. Tired of being expected to be perfect. To be seen in the limelights. I want to be free. Truly free. So, I sent you a gift when you were 13 years old and I bet you didn’t even know. :) I went to Master Fu and asked him to give you freedom. I wanted you to be able to escape whenever you wanted. I didn’t want this life for you. Anyway, I hope you have done it justice. I hope you have enjoyed our beautiful city from new heights. Remember to be kind, to love and be loved, be compassionate, respectful, and most of all… remember to have fun. Life is too short not too, Adrien. Be yourself.**

 

**I love you always and forever,**

 

**Your maman.**

  
  


Adrien’s voice cracked at the end as he read it out loud and Marinette had tears streaming down her face. He quickly flipped through the pages and found that each entry was dated from before he was born to the end. 

“She really did love you.” Marinette wiped the tears from her eyes and he sighed, closing the journal in his lap. 

“Yeah, yeah she did.” Adrien was suddenly struck with millions of memories of his mother. From her worst to her best days. Days filled with giggles, baking, and bedtime stories. Days that he cherished and missed.

Marinette sighed, stood up, and wrapped her arms around him from behind. “One day… let’s go visit her grave together.” 

Adrien just sighed and kissed her arms as he held them in his hands. “She’d love that.” 

“We could even leave flowers for her.” Marinette smiled and he smirked. 

“Bluebells were her favorite.” Adrien pulled her around and into his lap. “Like your eyes.” 

Marinette’s mind filtered to his poem from high school and her heart melted. She whispered the words and a tear fell from his eyes. “Your hair is dark as night, your pretty bluebell eyes, I wonder who you are beneath that strong disguise. Every day we see each other and I hope that you’ll be mine. Together our love could be so true, please-”

Adrien brushed the back of his hand along her cheek. “Will you be my wife?” 

Marinette jumped at his words. “You got the poem wrong. It’s Valent-” 

Adrien shook his head. “I know. I wrote it, silly.” 

She gasped as he moved her out of the way and went to grab something from a shelf. “Oh good, it’s still where I left it years ago.” 

Marinette’s lips parted as he walked back over with a small red box. He got down on one knee in front of her and took her hand in his. “What are you doing, Adrien Agreste?” Marinette could only get those words out before he silenced her with his lips along her knuckles. 

“Something I was going to do years… ago, Bugaboo.” Adrien smiled up at her and took a deep breath. 

“Yyeesss?” Marinette’s eyes sparked in the light and he peered deeply into hers. 

“I’ve loved you for so long and I’ve been in denial for so long. And all of this chaos has only made me realize more and more that we are meant to be. That I need your strength. That I need your love. And you were the first person I truly loved after my mother was gone. The first person to actually understand what was happening in my life. And I- I want to stay with you until the end of time. I want to love you and worship you. I want to spend the rest of my days showing you how much I love you. How much you have saved me. So please, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Ladybug, my love… will you marry this silly tom cat?” Adrien opened the box to reveal a beautiful ring. It was platinum and had a 2 karat diamond center with two baby pink sapphires on each side. The band had vinery along it and two ladybugs sat on each side of the stones. 

Marinette threw herself at him. “YES! YES! A MILLION TIMES YES!” She pressed her lips to his and cradled his face. He stood up and she did too. 

“You don’t even know how happy that makes me.” Adrien slid the ring onto her left ring finger and she held it into the light. 

“You don’t know how happy you have made me.” Marinette got lost in his emerald eyes and brought him in for another kiss.    

_____________________________________________________

 

Emma toddled around them as they sat in the park on a pink blanket. She was in a yellow dress with white ribbons and little white embroidered ladybugs lined the hem. Adrien chuckled at their daughter and grabbed her. He began to tickle her and she burst into a fit of giggles. “I got you!” Adrien sweetly laughed and continued his attack. 

“Papa!” Emma burst out and rolled around, trying to get away from him. 

He rolled onto his back and began to toss her into the air above him. She giggled and screamed as Adrien caught her over and over again like a ball of yarn. 

Marinette walked up with ice cream from Andre’s. “You guys are ridiculous.” She giggled. Adrien put Emma down and Marinette passed Adrien his cone, while she shared hers with Emma. 

Adrien sighed into his ice cream and she giggled at Emma’s enthusiasm over the sweet dessert. “I think I can get used to this.” He leaned back on his palm with a smile and licked his ice cream.

“Mm-hm. Me too. I have to run by  _ Gabriel  _ though to approve those designs.” Marinette smiled at him and wiped Emma’s mouth with a napkin. 

“It was nice of my father to leave his brand to you.” Adrien smiled over at her and she licked her ice cream with a nod. 

“And you could then focus on physics.” Marinette smiled at him and he nodded. 

“Yep. Although, I enjoy modeling for you once in a while.” He winked at her and Marinette giggled. 

“I wouldn’t expect any less from you.” Marinette went to kiss his cheek and he turned his face last minute and captured her lips with his. 

She sighed and Emma giggled at her loving parents.

 

[The song Adrien is playing and Marinette begins to join in.](https://youtu.be/jbqFBA2lIU4)

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Songs I wrote to in order:**
> 
> **I Don't Care by Fall Out Boy**
> 
> **High Hopes by Panic! at the Disco**
> 
> **Thunderclouds by LSD**
> 
> **Eastside by Halsey and Khalid**
> 
> **Thankful by Anthony Gregninger (The sad song Adrien is playing and the song that Marinette joins in on at the end of it)**
> 
> **Reflection by Elliot Middleton**
> 
> **Everdream by Epic Soul Factory**
> 
> **Waves by mattia Cupelli**


End file.
